Psalm 84:11 tells us The Lord God is a sun and shield; He gives grace and glory. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
“to those who walk uprightly” – is this a promise only for those who can live perfectly?
Thankfully no!
Since Jesus imparts His righteousness to His followers and we do not have to depend on our own “uprightness” in order to obtain His favor, we can be confident that He is always acting as a sun and a shield in our lives.
Sometimes as a sun, pouring forth warmth and light and power. Other times, we see His actions as a shield, protecting us not only from what we know to be harmful but also from what we don’t know. He is a shield from everything that will not achieve His perfect plan in our lives. Even when what we think is a “good thing”…If He withholds it, even if it looks like a good thing to us, it’s not a good thing.
He gives us grace, grace to accept that what He is doing – or not giving us – is still good. Grace to embrace and obey Him. And He gives glory…the absolute presence and essence of Himself.
And He never withholds that – the best gift of all.