Shield and Rampart

              

                                                                                       

“He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart”

Psalm 91:4 (NIV)

               We hear so much about God’s faithfulness to us. Scriptures and hymns remind us of this attribute. But do we understand what this means to us?

               A shield protects soldiers in battle. My concordance tells me a shield is a defensive weapon.  I have discovered some shields are worn on the soldier’s arm. There were also some that were large enough for a soldier to crouch behind and not be seen by his enemy.

               A rampart is an outer fortification built around certain Biblical cities ³ I like the distinction between these two terms. A rampart, most likely, would be earthen works encircling the town. Lake Okeechobee in Florida has a large barrier all the way around it. The history behind this structure is in the 1920’s a tornado came through the area and emptied the lakebed of all the water.4

               As children, most of us were protected by our parents. Those fortunate to have older brothers, had them to shield us from harm. We also had God watching out for our well-being.

               We all have stories of times when something happened in our lives that we realized later God had protected us from danger. Maybe He warned you of something that eventually did transpire—an event that caused anxiety or grief to yourself, a family member, or a friend.  

Dear Father God:

                             We thank You for keeping us and my family and friends safe. I appreciate Your vigilance over us our entire lives. We give You all the praise. In the Name of Jesus, I praise. AMEN