He is a Shield...

Already this morning... (it's 6:19...) I've come across the word... shield... three times... all in Scripture...

I've come to recognize... when a word... or phrase... comes up three times (sometimes more)... the Spirit is saying something... seeking my attention...

So I go back through the appearances of shield...

For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:12 ESV

Reading it the first time... I noted... the only righteous... are those in Christ... His favor... His grace... a shield... protecting us from the consequence of sin... death...

Next came...

After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram

in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield;

your reward will be very great."

Genesis 15:1 ESV

The events before Abram's vision... a victory in battle... a blessing with bread and wine by Melchizedek king of Salem... priest of God Most High...

Following His words... the cutting of the covenant... promising Abram possession of the land... offspring more numerous than the stars... neither of which he had at the time...

This covenant cutting... a promise leading to Jesus... a descendant of Abraham... Prince of Peace... Priest of God Most High...

The third...

This God --- his way is perfect; the word of the Lord

proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 18:30 ESV

His Way... Jesus... perfect...

His Word... Jesus... proves true...

He... Jesus... a shield for all who take refuge in Him...

All this leads me back... to shalom shalom... perfect peace...

You keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 26:3 ESV

When we keep our mind...

thoughts...

emotions...

will...

stayed on Jesus...

we shield our life...

with His grace...

salvation...

Way...

Truth...

He is an impenetrable SHIELD...

providing us perfect peace...

Shalom... Shalom...

Teach me... Lord... to live under the shield of faith...

keep my mind... thoughts... emotions...

stayed on You...

[Note... As I pulled out a card to send a friend... I had to laugh out loud... a fourth appearance of the word shield... all before 7 am... (see pic above)... we may not be finished with this word...]