#DailyDevotion The Lord Jesus Is Our Shield & Reward

Genesis 15:1–6  After this the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision. “Don’t be afraid, Abram,” He said. “I am your Shield. Your reward is very great.” ²“Lord GOD,” Abram asked, “what will You give me? I’m leaving no children, and Eliezer of Damascus will get the property of my household. You have given me no children,” ³Abram added, “so a member of my household will get my property.” ⁴“He will not get it,” the LORD told him, “but your own child will get your property.” ⁵Then He took him outside. “Now look at the sky,” He said, “and count the stars if you can.” Then He told him, “That is how many descendants you will have.” ⁶ Abram believed the LORD, and so the LORD counted it to him as righteousness.

The LORD had appeared to Abram in a vision saysing, “Don’t be afraid, Abram,” He said. “I am your Shield. Your reward is very great.” The LORD being a shield is a common theme in scripture. We read: Deu 33:29  Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.” 2Sa 22:2-3  He said, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,  (3)  my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. 2Sa 22:31  This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 2Sa 22:36  You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great. Psa 5:12  For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield. Psa 33:20  Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. Psa 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

The LORD being a shield paints him as someone who guards and protects us. A shield stops arrows, deflects sword attacks and prevents the enemy from coming through. Paul writes, Eph 6:16  “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;” The LORD himself is our faith. When you have the LORD as your shield and your faith, there always follows in parallel your reward is great.

Now oftentimes pastors get asked, “Why do I need to hear I’m forgiven again and again? Why do I need to go to the Lord’s Supper again and again? Isn’t once enough?” Well you aren’t greater than our Father Abraham are you? A friend of the LORD who walked and talked with LORD, he apparently needed to hear the LORD’s promise to him many times. We are but weak and frail human beings, made from dust. The LORD knows what we need. Abraham needed to hear the words of the covenant again. Abraham questions whether or not he will really have a reward, namely a child of his own by Sarah his wife.

The LORD had made a promise to Abraham. A child of his own loins would inherit his property. On top of that he reiterates his promise to have many descendents. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. The faith created by the Lord’s promise is what God counts as righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ is the same LORD who spoke with Abraham. He has made the promise that he is your life and salvation. His death and resurrection are now your death and resurrection. When you believe this, he counts this faith as righteousness, just like Abraham. When you believe this, you become one of the descendents the Lord Jesus Christ promised to Abraham by adoption through baptism. Father Abraham had many sons. I am one of them and so are you. So let’s all praise the Lord!

Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your son, our Lord, you promised Father Abraham many sons and counted his faith as righteousness. Now make the Lord Jesus Christ our shield and reward through faith in him that we may be Abraham’s sons and have this faith be our righteousness before you all the days of our life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.