Rest means trusting our Shield
I had the strangest dream a few months ago. My husband, sister and I were in the middle of a grassy field with a group of friends making our way toward a city in the distance.
As we walked, problem after problem appeared in our path.
There were briars we had to climb through.
We had barely cleared those when we found the pathway washed out before us.
We scrambled across the muck only to find ourselves being attacked from all sides by people with clubs and sticks.
Part of our group started to scatter, running for cover, but I felt a strong drive to pray. I called out to God for help, and in the way that things sometimes happen in dreams, I could see myself and the whole scene at the same time. As I prayed, something that looked like a forcefield spread out, covering first one of us and then the next.
I woke up then, but I haven’t forgotten that dream.
I’m not a believer in magical forcefields and secret powers, but I am a big believer in God, who scripture tells us is “our Shield.”
Psalm 33:20 says, “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.”
Proverbs 30:5 says, “He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”
In my dream, protection came only after I asked God to provide it. I needed to admit my need for God’s help and ask him to help me. That’s what the Bible means when it says we take refuge in God. He protects us when we admit we need him to.
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An imperfect metaphor; A perfect God
My dream isn’t a perfect metaphor. Our prayers don’t mean that our problems will disappear instantly because we pray. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12: 8-9).
In the 23rd Psalm, the poet-king tells us that God is the good shepherd who walks with us even through the valley of the shadow of death. Faith in God does not mean we get to avoid hard things, but we can be confident that God is with us, caring for us and guiding us along our way. We just need to ask for his help and trust his promise to be our Shield.
What if I don’t know how I should pray?
As I have reflected on my dream, I’ve thought about the importance of prayer. I like The Message translation of 1 Timothy 2:1: “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.”
Other translations of this verse use churchier words, telling us to '“offer supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people.” One commentary said that many attempts have been made to explain the difference between these terms, and I know I’m not qualified to explain the technical differences, but I think this translation of 1 Timothy 2:1 covers it well:
Pray every way you know how.
And the best part is that it is okay if we don’t understand the technical difference in all the ways to pray. We don’t even have to be able to put our prayers into words that make sense. Listen to the promise of Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” God has us covered — should I say shielded? — here, too.
This morning, I read the words of Psalm 5: 11-12: “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them and may those who love your name boast about you. For you, Lord, bless the righteous one; you surround him with favor like a shield.”
Today, as the battle of life rages around us, we can find refuge in God, and we can rest in him.
Call out in prayer and ask God to be your shield. Thank him for the protection he gave yesterday and trust him with today and all of your tomorrows. Pray for those he has placed in your path — friend and foe. Let’s take refuge in God’s care and trust him to be the Perfect Shield.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the promises of scripture. Thank you for hearing us when we pray and for being our Shield. We come taking refuge in you. The battles we will face today may feel exhausting or scary, but we know nothing is too big for you, Lord. We trust you to shelter us according to your perfect will and trust you with the outcome. Thank you, Lord, for loving us and giving us hope through your precious Son Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.
