Day 186

1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17; Acts 23:11-25; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 18:14-15

You, O LORD, Are a Shield Around Me

Both David the Psalmist and Paul lived in the certainty that indeed the Lord was a shield around them. The Lord had already revealed to Paul that he would testify to the facts about Him in Rome. Earlier in Acts, the Holy Spirit had also revealed to him that imprisonment awaited him. What the Lord has promised, Paul is absolutely convinced the Lord will bring about. There are those who would murder him in Jerusalem, but their plotting is overheard by Paul’s nephew! Chance? Coincidence? Luke doesn’t seem to think so as he recounts this story.

Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple famously said, “When I pray coincidences happen; when I stop praying, the coincidences stop happening.” When we begin to believe not in coincidences but in God’s hand at work, it is amazing to see just how much He takes care of us. He is indeed a shield about us.

The Rev. Sarah Bronos

Similar Posts

  • Whitewashed Tombs

    ByBibleChallenge

    Day 35 Exodus 19:16‐21:21; Matthew 23:13‐39; Psalm 28:1‐9; Proverbs 7:1‐5 Whitewashed Tombs Each time we attend a Eucharist service we hear the words, “. . . and from him no secrets are hid.” God sees our hearts regardless of anything that distinguishes us among human beings. In today’s reading from Matthew, Jesus has just stated…

  • Hidden in Plain Sight

    ByBibleChallenge

    Day 243 Job 37:1-39:30; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 22:13 Hidden in Plain Sight As Christians, our understanding of God is based on what Jesus said about God and about what God reveals about Himself in Jesus. The Old Testament writers had a different understanding. For them, the designs of God were bound up…

  • The Futility of Selfish Ambition

    ByBibleChallenge

    Day 246 Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 22:16 The Futility of Selfish Ambition The Preacher of Ecclesiastes turns to a reflection on the futility of human beings’ pursuit of selfish ambition. This pursuit has led to bitter tyranny and oppression (4:1-6). Man’s envy is self consuming: “The fool folds his hands and…

  • New Beginnings!

    ByBibleChallenge

    Day 1 Genesis 1:1‐2:25; Matthew 1:1‐2:12; Psalm 1:1‐6; Proverbs 1:1-6 New Beginnings! Welcome! Let’s get started with new beginnings! The opening chapters of Genesis set forth the major themes of the Bible: Creation, Fall, Redemption. God takes the chaos and void and creates by His Word vibrant light from the deep void, wondrous form and…

  • Fullness in Christ

    ByBibleChallenge

    Day 235 Job 8:1-11:20; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; Psalm 38:1- 22; Proverbs 21:28-29 Fullness in Christ Today’s passage in 1 Corinthians gives what is one of the clearest internal and external defenses of the Resurrection that we have at our disposal. Paul first reminds us that he, as well as many in Corinth, have been given…

  • Do It All for God’s Glory

    ByBibleChallenge

    Day 228 Nehemiah 11:1-12:26; 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:2; Psalm 34:11-22; Proverbs 21:14-16 Do It All for God’s Glory Today’s passage contains a verse that gives an application to all of life: “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Cor. 10:31 That’s a huge charge given…