I thought I would share some of my thoughts as I have been studying Psalm 91 over the past weeks.
Psalm 91:1
If you live in the shelter of the Most High, then you will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
A shelter is a place of safety from a storm, a refuge, a covering, a place to rest, to sit down, protection.
- Living in a shelter – That’s an interesting concept. To approach life in such a way that I know that I am covered. I am protected by that hand of the Most High God … something bigger than me; something beyond me; but someone who loves me enough to want to protect me; shelter me; cover me.
- Rest – to chill, relax, no worries, the absence of striving, not working, just breathing, sitting quietly, eyes closed enjoying the “being.”
It’s what we all want … stress-free living, where we live in such a place of allowing God to carry our burdens, of living in His protection and care … letting Him shelter us from all the garbage of the world. This is the place of rest where we experience true joy and true peace.
The shadow of the Almighty– a shadow is an image outline reflected on the ground or on a wall. It’s shade, like when the sun is above a tree, the branches provide shade. You can not tangibly feel a shadow or grab hold iof it, but you certainly can feel the effects of standing in the shadow of a building on a hot sunny day, or while walking on the blazing hot sand along the beach and you come upon a tree and experience the amazing coolness of the sand … it’s relief from the intensity of the sun. It’s a place of rest, typically. You rest in the shadow. The shadow of God … that’s an interesting idea. Can you escape the intensity of the blazing Son and take refuge under the coolness of the shadow of the Almighty? It’s almost like I need a rest for a second because being in the intensity is just too much. It’s like the four living creatures who are before the throne of God who fall down because the presence of God is too much for them … they take a break, then they get back up and sing and … fall back down… So the shadow – a place of rest, safety, and refuge.
All that to say that living in the shelter of God means I also rest in His shadow… And that’s a pretty good place to be.