Psalm 91:1-8
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
Sometimes it is easy to forget that Jesus is not only our savior, but our protector. I know I forget this, because, let’s face it, life is constantly coming at us with new obstacles.
But here in Psalm 91 He promises to not only guard our souls, but also our mortal selves, if we remain close to Him. I love the imagery that the writer uses in these verses, because he describes God like a great bird, implying that we are his small, fragile hatchlings. So, when rain comes he literally covers us. And when we fall from the nest he flies down, snatches us up, and returns us to the safety of the nest. This is extremely comforting in uncertain times.
I need to be reminded that He cares about our safety, and that He does not desire that we experience unnecessary pains in this life–self-inflicted or otherwise. He promises to preserve us through difficult seasons. He tells us we do not have to fear the recession the world faces, nor anything else, because despite the forces of calamity and darkness which surround us, we will always be provided for and covered.
So, if these are His promises, how do we reconcile this with the very real difficulties we encounter daily? Does God not live up to his word when bad things happen?
I know, by faith, that God allows difficult things to happen to us for a reason, for a purpose. We must believe this, even if we do not always understand why he is allowing it at the time. He knows what is best for us, even if we do not.
And by faith, we must not forget that His ultimate plan is to draw us near to Him, which cannot happen without some difficulty in life. The fact is, we would not rely upon Him if life was always roses; we would only rely upon ourselves.
We must cling to the idea that even when challenges arise, God is allowing just enough tension in our lives to produce reliance upon, while still using His great wing to shield us from real destruction. He takes great pains to negotiate this balance, and rather than contradicting Himself, he is always drawing us closer to His embrace through the difficulties we face.
Share a story about a storm below, and tell us how he provided shelter throughout it…
November 4, 2011 · Bible Study · 8 Comments
I thought it would be cool to share some thoughts on my readings on a more consistent basis here.
Keep deception and [a]lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9 NASB
We cannot be consumed with the future because the future is not guaranteed. And even if it is, our time on earth is so, so short. We are to ask for our DAILY bread, and to focus on the now, because the future is in God’s hands. This is comforting to me because, lately, I spend so much time thinking about the variables which lie ahead – How will I be provided for ten years from now? What will I do? Where will I live?
All we can do is make a list of the ways we are blessed and provided for today. All I can do is reflect on the divine provisions I have been given right now, and it will force me to acknowledge that Jesus is real, he is here, and he cares for me.
The reason why he says give us this day our DAILY bread is because if we have enough—not too little or much, as Solomon put it in Ecclesiastes—we will neither become complacent, nor will we starve. Our only recourse is to be thankful for what we have today and rely on God for what will come in the next 24 hours. In the meantime, we commit fully to our work and seek Him with all our might.
This is a life of success, achievement, and most of all, peace.
I would love to hear your feedback below. Check back regularly for more…
October 23, 2011 · Bible Study, Other, Spiritual Living · 16 Comments
