Your Shield and Buckler

I have really struggled the last couple of days both at work and with things outside of work.  I guess we all will have days like that from time to time.  I generally try to keep my attitude positive, but it seems this week as though that has been a tougher task than usual.  What is so interesting is I felt how hard this week has been in my body...not necessarily in my attitude.  My body feels heavy, burdened, weak...and exhausted...physically and mentally exhausted.  Sometimes I can easily get wrapped up in confusion trying to figure out what is going on instead of running to my God and Father.  One of my favorite scriptures in the entire bible is Psalm 91:4:

He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.  

What I like the most about the verse is "shield AND buckler."  A buckler is a smaller shield...so there is twice the protection for us to stand behind from anything that might seek to attack us.  Psalm 91 is a great passage.  It goes on to say:

5 - You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 - or of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7 - A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.
8 - Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.
9 - because you have the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling your place,
10 - No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 - For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

There is safety in abiding in the presence of God.  There is peace and rest in the shadow of His wings.  All we must do is wait with our hope in Him that He will protect us from all things.

Psalm 62:5,6

5 - My soul, wait patiently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him
6 - He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. 

Notice the Psalmist had to tell his soul to wait patiently.  Sometimes we have to speak to ourselves and bring our mind and our emotion back around to thinking about what the Word says and using scriptures to uplift and strengthen our resolve.  We should always be mindful of what we are thinking about.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

"...whatever things are of good report."  We cannot be distracted with the things that do not provide us with good reports.  We cannot be distracted by the things that are not praiseworthy.  We cannot allow the enemy to continue to push thoughts into our minds and emotions into our hearts that keep us bound up in confusion, depression, and chaos.   The distractions of our thoughts pull us away from praising God...from honoring him with our thoughts, our actions, our attitudes...our witness to those around us.  Sometimes we just need to remember that He is our mighty fortress.

Psalm 18:2  2 -  Jehovah is my strength, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock; I will trust in Him; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

Forgetting that we have a Deliverer, a Rock, a Shield, a High Tower, a Fortress is exactly what the enemy wants us to do.  He wants us to stay defeated, depressed, confused.  If we are all of those things, then we are ineffective in our witness and as Citizens of the Kingdom. 

God is a good God.  God is a Mighty God.  He is a Mighty Warrior!  He is our Protector and our Defender.  He can set us free...He can keep us safe.  We have to keep our eyes focused on Him and our thoughts captive and in subjection to Jesus Christ. 

Today is the day to make the decision to take up your shield and buckler.  Today is the day to decide you will think only on the things in Philippians 4:8.