For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. – Psalm 84:11
When I was a boy, we never heard of such a thing as sunscreen. We had shade trees and straw hats, but nothing to protect our skin from ultra-violet rays. However, while visiting our son in South Africa, my wife and I learned that the medical society there is very concerned regarding the risks of the sun. They advise families with swimming pools not to use them from 11:00 a.m. until after 3:00 p.m. during certain times of the year. They say that the depletion of the ozone layer has allowed ultra-violet rays to be more powerful in modern times, which has caused an increase in cases of skin cancer in that hemisphere.
It is interesting to me that the rays of the sun are invisible, and therefore would seem harmless, but in fact they can produce much damage. Regarding the sun, the Bible declares, “There is nothing hid from the heat thereof” (Psalm 19:6). I learned firsthand how powerful the sun is during one of my first jobs as a carpenter helper. It was a challenge in the summertime to keep the lumber from drying out and warping in the heat of the sun.
In the spiritual world, too, many things which do not appear dangerous can be quite influential to the health of our souls. We read that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Though we cannot see them physically, we must always be aware of these foes. Our only defense is to put on the whole armor of God—like a “spiritual sunscreen.” We cannot see our spiritual armor either, but without it we would be toast!
In addition to the armor of God, Paul also advises us to be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10). We can do that by being well-versed in His Word and keeping close to the throne of God in prayer. These two together give us the needed protection against the influences of evil.
None of us can assume that we are immune to the evils of our day without the help of the Lord. We do not need to be afraid of the days in which we live, but we must be fortified by the Lord’s protection. He is our shield against the invisible perils of the enemy, and He will not withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly.