“But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.” Psalm 3:3 NLT

In the book of Job, Satan complains to God about his protection of Job, “You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property” (Job 1:10). It places Satan in the position of having to ask God for permission to attack Job. Likewise, in the Gospels, we see Jesus tell Simon Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).

From our perspective, we’re not aware of God’s shield around us, but we’re called to live by faith, not sight. Often, my experiences feel like God is giving Satan permission far too often! Yet, even the minor frustrations of life, are a test of faith. At these times, we remember Job and Peter and know they were strengthened and matured by their experiences. They were both able to bless and encourage others after their ordeals. Their faith was severely tested, but it didn’t fail. God holds us securely, he has placed a shield around us. Nothing happens to us without his knowledge or permission.

The Good News Bible translates the second half of this verse from Psalms like this, “you give me victory and restore my courage.” When we have confidence in God, we have courage and can hold our heads high because we know we don’t face difficulties alone. God is with us, strengthening, encouraging, and growing us to be more Christ-like.

“Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!” Psalm 2:12

God is angry at sin. Sin has destroyed the perfect world that God created and deeply wounded the human race. God created people to commune with him, yet sin prevents or severely inhibits our closeness with him.

Most of the problems in our world are caused by sin. Even some natural disasters like floods and fires are exacerbated by sin. Sometimes governments have made unwise decisions based on greed or expediency that haven’t protected people’s property or livelihoods. Then, there are the obvious signs of sin – anger, envy, hatred and selfishness, that cause violence, fraud and manipulation. God has always been deeply troubled by the effects of sin. In Genesis, we read, “The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart” (Genesis 6:5-6).

On the cross, Jesus solved the sin problem. Now we have hope for the future because the power of sin has been broken and one day we will be removed from the presence of sin. This is the reason for our joy. We aren’t trapped in a broken world forever. One day we will see him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV) and we will be able to commune with him as he always intended.

“They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.” Psalm 1:3

God likes to use metaphors and similes to describe the spiritual life. The Psalmist tells us we’re like a fruit-bearing tree.

Mostly, the tree’s roots are hidden underground, and we don’t see them looking for water. Likewise, our spiritual lives have roots that aren’t obvious, but they are watered by God’s Spirit as we connect with him. In this Psalm, the focus is on connecting with God by meditating on his Word, but there are other ways - through prayer, through meeting with his people, through listening to hymns and spiritual songs.

The tree is planted. This is a purposeful act, not a casual sprinkling of seeds. God has transferred us from the kingdom of darkness and planted us in his kingdom. This is a deliberate act of God that happens when we choose to put our faith in him. It speaks of the security of knowing God is intentional about his purposes in our lives. He intends for us to grow spiritually strong and to be productive (Titus 3:14). No one plants a seed or seedling expecting a tree the next day. It’s a long-term project. Likewise, God has long-term plans to bring us to maturity.

Trees bear fruit each season; they aren’t continuously busy producing fruit but have periods of preparation, rest and growing fruit to maturity. Likewise for us, there are times of spiritual growth, times of preparation and times of rest and restoration. Sometimes we would like to skip some seasons. Perhaps we don’t enjoy seasons of waiting or resting, as we prefer to be producing. But spiritual fruit, like natural fruit, is produced in seasons.

Welcome to the pilot episode of Susan Barnes Devotions. Susan introduces her weekly devotions, where she will share biblical wisdom, encouragement, and practical insights for everyday faith. Join us for a brief but meaningful reflection designed to inspire and strengthen your walk with God, starting on Friday, 19th June 2026.