'He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty'. Psalm 91:1
There are days when I feel all alone. It is as if the whole world is against me. As a Christian I have been told over and over again that God is always with me. I don't dispute that. What I do sometimes wonder about is why things happen the way they do when God is always with me. He has the power to stop all hurt, harm and danger from coming near me, yet He allows these things to happen sometimes. Today while being blessed by the Word I was reminded of a simple fact and that is 'I am in the safety of the Lord'. This means that no matter what goes on in my life you have the protection of the Lord. But there are some things I must do first. If I want to reap the benefits of this verse I must have close fellowship with God. My relationship with Him must be my number one priority. I must take a seat in His presence daily. It is not just a vacation spot; I must rest there. There is no other place I would rather be. Not only am I resting there but I am abiding under His shadow. It is where my home is; it is where I lay my head. It is where I feel most secure. It is in this place at the very moment where I feel all alone, I realize that I don't have to worry. I have chosen God as my Protector. In Him I can have everything I need and desire.
So what do you do when something happens that is beyond your control? What do you do when you stand by watching, wanting to help but find yourself completely helpless to correct the situation. Panic has set in as you try to figure out what to do. Not sure what I am talking about? You know those moments when you feel overwhelmed, discouraged, sick, in financial distress, down and out, disheartened or depressed. Life is caving in all around you. What do you do? In an accident situation your first thought is to dial 911 and immediately help is dispatched to your location. When you dwell in the safety of the Most High your help is with you always. Its like the Traveler's Insurance commercials with the red umbrella that follows the insured wherever he or she may go. The primary responsibility of the umbrella is to provide covering in the event that something will happen. In this life I have learned that change is the only constant. Remember when the market tanked a few years back, there were so many people who lost everything they had. Not only did they lose their money, they lost their homes, their families and their friends. They had no idea how to cope with life's unexpectancies. Their faith was in the wrong things. They didn't have total reliance on God. They were dialing 911 but it wasn't the right 911. Instead of turning to a human source that can have the same problems as you, why not turn to your heavenly help. Psalm 91:1 To dwell in the secret place means it becomes our permanent residence and His shelter provides protection, covering and security. To abide in the shadow means to remain in closeness, in proximity, in relationship to the presence of the almighty God. How do we do this? Through prayer and the Word of God. There is no greater safety I feel than when I and standing on the promises of God.
If I need healing I remember Isaiah 53:5...'but he was wounded for my transgressions, he was bruised for my iniquities, the chastisement of my peace was upon him and with his stripes I am healed.
If I need peace, I remember Isaiah 26:3-4...'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee'.
What about if you are in need of direction (this is a regular one for me), I remember Proverbs 3:5-6...'Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy path'.
These are just a few of the promises I turn to regularly. The Bible is full of so many more. You probably already have a few of your own. If you do I suggest that you 'bind them upon your heart forever, fasten them around your neck' (Proverbs 6:21). You will need them. When the unexpected happens you won't have to dial 911 because your umbrella will already be up. You are in the safety of the Lord. There is no better place to be.
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
Here I stand, not sure of what my next move is but I do know that because I am dwelling in your secret place I have nothing to worry about. When I feel overwhelmed and distressed, I can find safety in Your arms. When the world is crashing in all around me, I can still feel secure because I have You. Thank You for protection, for covering for security. In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.