For He Is Your Shield

BY Oghosa Iyamu

When it comes to self-protection—covering my flaws, my lack, and my inabilities—I’ve got a rather decent stash: pseudostrength, “good” works, showcasing my achievements, people-pleasing, and collecting more “stuff.” And sadly, the list goes on.

But what, you may ask, leads me to attempt this kind of shielding? Two words. Misplaced fear—a worship that is directed toward created things, like the thoughts, opinions, and validation of people (including myself), rather than the Creator, Himself. 

Ouch. And ouch.

Do you relate to this same struggle? Like me, do you run to pseudoshields that not only fail to protect, but actually expose you to the dangers of sin? If so, then today’s passage provides you and I great hope in the midst of our battle! Through this particular story of Abram, we see that fear is rightly placed in the one true God and His word (Psalm 28:6–9). Genesis 15:1 reads, 

“After these events, the word of the LORD came to 
Abram in a vision…” (Genesis 15:1).

Note how the writer is gently drawing the reader back to the previous chapter by saying “after these events.” In Genesis 14, Abram (who at this point had been waiting over two decades for the fulfillment of God’s promise made to him in Genesis 12) rejected the King of Sodom’s goods, his just reward for defeating the eastern kings. What made this an act of faith was not so much what Abram did, but why he did it. Abram feared the Lord, he trusted in His promise and took God at His word. This is reverential fear. This is true worship.

What about you and me? In prolonged seasons of waiting, when we are assaulted by the constricting fumes of panic and the bewildering grip of anxiety, where are we prone to place our fear? In created things or in the Creator Himself? 

Today’s reading in Genesis 15 beckons us to worship—to rightly place our reverent fear in the One true God and His promises found in His word: 

“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield; 
your reward will be very great” (v.1).

The Lord came not merely to give Abram a greater reward but to be his great reward. So intimately tender and relationally near is God, to call Abram by name and offer not just His hand of blessing but Himself—the ever-present shield. 

And could it be today, in this very moment, God is calling out to you and to me by name? Reminding us to not be afraid—to rightly place our fear in Him. He invites us to put down our caps and pseudoshields, and to take hold of our true and better covering—Jesus Christ (2Corinthians 12:9–10). He is a faithful protector and He is a faithful provider. What better shield is there to turn to?