The Shield

by Missy Grant

I’ve been thinking about shields recently. Have you given much thought to shields? Your answer is probably yes, if you have young sons or grandboys – weaponry and boys seem to go hand in hand. Your answer might be no, though, if you don’t have young warriors running through your kitchen yelling, “for Aslan!”

I read this recently in Beth Moore’s bible study of Esther, “The reaction showed the Jews of Persia understood their peril to be associated with their wanderings from God. They had become so worldly and so thoroughly assimilated into Persian culture that they’d lost their protective shield. God had told His people from the time of Moses that He’d protect them and fight their battles for them as long as they worshiped Him only. If they forgot Him, He would still love them, but He would not shield them.”

What jumped to my attention was the sentence, “They had become so worldly and thoroughly assimilated into Persian culture…they’d lost their protective shield”. I will beg an apology before I even write another word. I hold very strong opinions on Christians walking in worldly ways. I don’t hold those opinions for judgment. I hold those thoughts because God’s word is the sword of truth and we are fooling no one by thinking we can walk in the world’s ways and honor the Lord at the same time. You are set apart – you are different – your life should look like it.

Shields have two sides. The side facing out protects from satan’s arrows coming from the outside (remember, you were sealed at redemption and he cannot indwell you, Ephesians 1:13. He attacks from the outside). I like to think of the inside of the shield as the Holy Spirit - protecting, yes, but praying when we can’t, convicting of sin, instructing in His word - all within the confines of the shield.

The jews in Persia had lost their protective shield – or so it seemed. The truth is the Lord never left them….they left Him. They liked their comfort in pagan Persia. It was beautiful, friends and family all around, plenty to do and see, all wants and desires met...affluent….sounding familiar? What happened next, though? In two words….death sentence with the king’s signet ring giving it all the power necessary. All of a sudden the jews remembered something….they were different – they were set apart – their life was to look different from those around them and they were facing death.

They had a choice to make and so do you? They realized they had forsaken the true shield – the one which made a covenantal promise to them. One man made a decision to not forsake the Lord and facing sure death went and stood in front of the very dwelling the edict had come from. The way he was now dressed showed his heritage and he had a message for the queen.

The triune God is our shield and while he promises never to leave us or forsake us, it is very possible for us to wander away from His shield. We suffer when we do that, although we can and do suffer even when we don’t wander. We must claim Him and pick up the sword of truth and the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) every day – ask for help, the greatest helper – the Holy Spirit- will help you lift that shield and defend against the arrows of the evil one. Remember who you are in Christ. Claim it!! You are set apart – you were created for this time in HIStory – you are different. May your difference draw others through you and directly to Him.

Mighty God, we are prone to wander, continually stepping outside of the protection of Your shield. Lord, satan is so deliberate and subtle – we walk in worldly ways thinking we are on your path – only to discover we have wandered. Help us to seek your face, to put our desires aside so that the fullness of the Holy Spirit in us will be revealed and the full protection of Your shield firmly in place. Give us Your strength to look like You and not reflect the world around us. We Praise your Glorious name, Amen