"Our Shield And Reward"

February 13, 2025 | By Chuck

       “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: 'Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.'” (Genesis 15:1) I love this promise God makes to Abram. There is no need for Abram to fear anyone or anything, because the Lord is his shield. A shield is a protective tool a warrior would use in battle to guard himself from the enemy’s weapons. There is no greater shield or source of protection than the Lord.

The great reward God promised to Abram could be both physical and spiritual. At the time Abram was childless and concerned about who his heir might be. So, this God-promised reward could certainly refer to the numerous offspring that Abram will be blessed with. When we think of reward, we often think of the eternal spiritual reward of heaven. There is no doubt that Abram had the great eternal reward of heaven to look forward to.

 What comforts and encourages me about this verse is that this promise applies to all of God’s faithful people. God is our shield and protector; even today and especially in our dealings with the darkness of this world. The great eternal reward of heaven is our greatest promise and motivation to hang in there every day no matter what. Crossing the finish line at the end of this life and receiving heaven for all of eternity should help us to fight off the sinful attacks and temptations of the evil one. There is no other reward that can come close to comparing to the great reward of eternal life in heaven. Any reward we achieve in this life is only temporary and will only fade as the years go by. But, the great reward of heaven that God promises His faithful will last for all of eternity. That is forever!