GOD’S SHIELD ABOUT US

 

 

"If the  foundations  be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

 

Those of us who know American history, have studied our Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and read the thoughts and writings of the great leaders of this country, are aware that it is a factual truth that this country was founded on Christian faith and the teachings of the Bible.  Though not all who sailed to its shores were righteous, by the minority who were, America became a long-fufilled dream for their freedom to practice and worship God in spirit and in truth.  Those precious documents became a shield that protected and established our nation as one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.

 

David spoke much about a certain shield, but not the one identified as what warriors might take to battle.  It was an invisible shield which was formed inside of him from his youth, as he tended his father's flocks alone among the  pastures and hillsides of Bethlehem.  Being alone, David developed an accute awareness and sensitivity to God and everything about him; the heavens, the enviornment, the ways of nature. He composed songs (called psalms) and captured these thoughts inside himself.  Part of the Old Testament contains most of these, which were copied out on scrolls and became worship songs and prophetic books.

 

Being devout, David meditated "day and night" in the law of Moses (Ps 1:2) He later spoke about the wicked man, who lives his life boasting of his own abilities, being a kind of person described as a self-worshipper that saw no need for God in his life.  "God was not in all his thoughts" David stated. But for those of us who would learn to walk under this particular shield--it became the one most essential weapon Satan feared most.

 

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" the Word of God declares. But if that nation turns away from that promise, then David's words ask a profound question:, "if the foundations be destoyed, what can the righteous do?"(11:3) It is not enough to rely upon our picking whom to become our president, our senators and politicians.  (Ps 9:17) "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God".  We are fast becoming such a nation, if not already in that catagory.  Is it any wonder we are feeling judgement falling? Our foundations are crumbling.

 

It is interesting that Abraham pleaded with the angels over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; "Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" (Genesis 18:3th)  We read this account and see that God was willing to forego that destruction if just ten could be found righteous.  Surely that number would cover Lot's family members and even his sons-in-law who had married his older daughters. Yet they refused Lot's warnings as foolishness and perished when the judgement fell.  The shield was ignored..even by some who were deemed "righteous".  God was not in all their thoughts...

 

We too must examine ourselves as to where we focus our thoughts in these perilous times and be careful in our judgement of the other righteous among us who speak forth God's warnings to us. 

 

MARY E ADAMS