Shelter… a basic and fundamental human need crucial for survival.
I ask you to consider: What shelters have YOU established? What provisions are you making for comfort, both presently and for the future? What defenses are you depending upon to aid in the face of the unexpected storm?
Many lean on their savings or equity accumulated through hard work and perseverance. Others focus their efforts on developing their home into a safe and sustainable haven from the clouds of chaos circling around us. There are those who find a sense of insulation enveloped in a diverse catalogue of insurance policies. On a more relational plane, it is our human nature to seek refuge in treasured relationships with friends and family.
Shelter, safety, defense; basic human needs we strive, whether consciously or not, to have installed in our lives. It is in the shadow of these objects of security, we sense the freedom to breathe a sigh of relief, to relax, and enjoy our day.
But, the question looming on the horizon that must be faced, is: What do we do? Where will we run, when our prepared defenses crash down around us or are snatched away in a moment? Whether it be a market collapse, a terminal diagnosis, the loss of a loved one. These things are out of our control. And, it’s when our defenses fail to defend us, we are left exposed, vulnerable, searching, and terrified. All human shelters can fail and have failed and ultimately, WILL fail.
There is only ONE shelter Who will never fail.
Psalm 91:1
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”
There is ONE refuge provided, that will allow a man or a woman to rest in the shadow of something that will never be shaken. That refuge is Christ!
When HE is our defense, when HE is our trust, when HE is the One to Whom we run… the shelter of our life… it is then and ONLY then, we truly and continuously abide in the care of the Almighty. There is no financial collapse, disappointing diagnosis, tragic loss of a loved one, or any other adversity that can affect the refuge and comfort and peace and joy available in relationship with Christ.
Sure, life will still be hard, pain will be felt, tomorrow may be unknown; but surer still, we get to face that day in step with the Good Shepherd (Ps.23, Jn.10) Who promises to be with us! We can take our pain and hurt to the “God of all comfort” (2Cor.1:3). We can look forward with expectation and anticipation with a sure and living hope (1Pet.1:3). There is nothing like living in the shadow of the Almighty.
Allow me to clarify, this is not an attack on preparing and planning for life. It is wise to have savings, required to have insurance, good stewardship to improve one’s home, and truly a gift of God to enjoy the people He’s placed in our lives. The problem arises when we practically look to and live for those things, depending upon THEM to get us through the storm. Our Heavenly Father loves us dearly. He’s created us to find our all in all in Him; to look to, hope in, and depend upon Him above all else and all others. I believe it breaks His heart when we begin to clamoring after alternate sources of security and comfort beyond what has been made available through the work of Christ on the cross of Calvary! A high price was paid so that you and I could be brought back into and enjoy right relationship with our Creator… and there in His shadow, abide forever.
May we be those, vs.2 of ps.91, whose lives declare: “I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"
Pray on this. Ask the Holy Spirit to search you. Our God sees the heart, and is ultimately interested in the cry and longing of our core being. What or who does your life declare to be its fortress, refuge, & trust?
Listen to promise of God toward the man or woman who has a heart after Him.
Ps.91:14-16
“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”
Dear brother or sister, don’t ever settle for less than God’s best! Make sure Christ alone is the refuge of your soul!
If you don’t have this relationship, don’t know God, and have not yet said ‘yes’ to the refuge offered IN Christ as a gift of grace… you are lost and are in desperate need of a Savior.
Please, do not take another step down the road of this life until you have as your own, the living hope secured as our Savior gave His life upon the Hill of Calvary, shed His blood on a cross to pay for your sin and mine. Now our risen Lord offers, to whosever will receive Him, eternal life!
Let today be the day you turn from your life of sin, say ‘yes’ to Jesus.
If you need prayer or would like to talk to someone about the blessed and eternally unshakable shelter found in Christ, please reach out to us. We’d love to talk/pray with you.
Blessings from the shadow of His wings!
Pastor Josiah