Thursday 13 Jun 2013

Thursday Reading: Genesis 15:1

Key Verse: Genesis 15:1
1  After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Devotion:
Abraham (or Abram as he was then) had seen a lot happen which would probably have dented the resolve of many a person and just about the time when most people would give in a just take what comes, God steps forward once again and gives Abraham the words that he would need to hear. When we feel like we are at the end of our tether we would love to hear someone come forward and tell us that there is no need to worry because they have actually got everything under control!

Some days we get bombarded with a load of things that others are going through and we wonder why the world has gone so far as to look like it is breaking apart at the seams. Well, it is! Sin and man’s lust for that sin have all but ruined the world and continues to drag us deeper in with every step. It is God who has remained constant during all the time and Him alone that we can trust to be able to break us free from the bonds of sin. He has already done what is required; we just have to believe in our hearts that that is exactly what He has done for us so that we can enjoy the same encouragement that Abraham was receiving here.

You too will feel like God is calling you by name when He steps forward to help you by the hand. You too will feel the awesome power of God as He holds you firmly and lifts you out of the mire. The world may continue to crash and burn around us as more and more people give in to sin instead of trusting in our Lord and Saviour. As He uses the words here “I am thy shield” we too can know that God, through Christ Jesus, has already stepped forward as our shield and continues to protect us as long as we are willing to hold Him up as that shield!

And the grace and mercy does not stop there because we can then begin to see just how much of a blessing and reward it is to know Christ as our Saviour. It is not all about how much money you can put in the bank or even how much pleasure you can get out of life. It is about how much more we can look forward to when we see that we have a certain eternal future in heaven with our Lord. Christ will continue to see that we are protected whilst we live here on earth so that we can have the resolve to continue on in His name, giving Him the glory so that others may draw closer to Him as we do.

Points to Ponder:
Who do you look to for love and protection?

Are you fully relying on Christ?