November 1 2011

Refuge
 
Reading: Psalm 91:1-7, 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. [NIV]

As you get up in the morning and prepare for your day as a warrior of your faith, your home and the cause of Christ, it doesn’t seem to mix with being a warrior and needing a shelter or a refuge. If you notice, though, the specifics that David lists in this Psalm, verse 5, the terror of night, the arrow that flies by day, the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, the plague that destroys at midday, each one of these things are things that are out of your control… the darkness that you can’t see through; a plague that you can’t really fight; even an arrow that you may see because it’s daylight but while you’re fighting hand to hand combat, you can’t see all of the arrows falling from the sky that have a chance to hit you. It is these things that God clearly says, I’ve got you. This is exactly why He promises in Romans 8:28 that He will not give you more than you can handle. When we start worrying about and fearing those things that we cannot control, that is when it when we can become overwhelmed and feel like it is more than we can handle. It is at that point that God is calmly saying, “I am your shield, I am your shelter, you can find rest in me, even while the battle rages on and thousands are falling beside you. I am here.” But, this comes with a stipulation, you must “dwell in the shelter of the Most High.”

What “arrows”, “plagues”, or “terrors” are weighing on your mind?


How can you dwell in His shelter today to find rest from the things that are out of your control?
End of the Day Review
  
What “arrows”, “plagues” or “terrors” came your way today?
 
 
How were you able to give them over to your “My Fortress” and find rest in His capable hand?