The Lord's Favor

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11-12

These verses were a part of our daily Bible reading over 2 weeks ago. They caught my eye when I first read them and since that time, they have appeared in other readings that have crossed my path. When verses get "stuck" in my head and keep "appearing" in several unrelated places, I eventually realize that the Lord is wanting me to take notice!

The part that is really catching my eye is the last line that says "you surround them with your favor as with a shield." First of all, what exactly is "favor"? Webster's dictionary has several definitions for it including:

"something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for payment; a kind act." and "preferential treatment; partiality"

The picture I usually have of a shield is more of a flat, metal object that a soldier would hold in front of himself. I think this may be from seeing Peter's shield in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (and probably other movies). Although this is a pretty nice shield as far as flat, metal objects go, it doesn't really "surround" Peter when he is fighting.



I think the shield in this verse is more like a "ball" of protection. Nothing penetrates it from any side and there are no weak spots. I am picturing the "Incredibles" where Violet puts her force field around her and Dash.



The idea of being surrounded like that with the favor of the Lord sounds so safe and secure and protected. The Psalmist says that if we look to the Lord for refuge and protection, we will have this kind of shield surrounding us. It will cause us to rejoice and sing for joy.

When we returned from Guatemala without any source of income, life seemed rather uncertain and more than a little scary. We had no place to turn for security and provision but from the Lord. He provided as He always does in His perfect timing. Don accepted a job at the same hospital but in a different department. Although I was very relieved that he had a job, I knew this new job would mean less vacation time and less flexibility.

Here is where the Lord's favor comes into the equation. First, we found out that Don was going to continue accruing vacation as if he hadn't left. (He had been at the hospital for 10 years before he quit.) This means that after working only 9 months, he has accrued enough vacation for us to leave for 4 weeks with a little time left over!

Second, he fits very well in this job and his boss has shown him great "favor" since he interviewed him. Don met this doctor for the first time in May when he interviewed with him. This doctor is also new to the hospital and does not know Don or any of the doctors that Don used to work for in his previous position. None of this "preferential treatment" makes sense except that it is all part of Don being surrounded by the Lord's "shield of favor".

Don's boss knows that we have a heart for Guatemala and wants to be flexible enough that we can pursue that without Don quitting. I look at this whole situation and just think it is an incredible picture of the Lord making a way when I thought we had lost all our vacation time and flexibility! I am so thankful for the Lord's favor.