“Do not be afraid . . . I am your shield, your very great reward.” Genesis 15:1 NIV

Whatever circumstances we are facing, God is our shield. God made this #promise to Abraham after he had rescued Lot who had been taken captive by the confederates of Shinar, after his blessing by Melchizedek, and after he refused to take any of the spoils of war from the king of Sodom.

One might think the spoils of war that were sitting right in front of him were the #blessing Melchizedek had promised, but Abram would not give the unrighteous king of Sodom any claim or hold on him. “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’” (Genesis 14:22-23)

Sometimes, very often, the way God works out his plan and his promises in our life are not what we would expect. If we were choosing our own course, it would look very differently.

That is where #faith comes in. Abram did not make an alliance with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, he did not make a covenant with the unrighteous. Instead he trusted in God alone for his protection and God assured him that he would be his shield. When we put our faith in God, he is our shield (Ephesians 6:16)

It was Abram’s faith that was counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6)