Devotional

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.” Psalm 91:1-8

Every person should experience the protection of the Father growing up. Sadly there are children who grew up without that experience, leading to a life full of doubt and difficulty trusting in others, including God. We grow up thinking like the world of our fathers until a certain point in our lives. Earthly fathers provide limited protection, but God’s protection knows no such bounds. We can rest in His security even when things aren’t seemingly going well. We are sheltered under His wings, and no harm or punishment can come to us who seek shelter in the LORD. God is indeed our refuge and our fortress.

What can mankind do to deserve such love? How can God dote on us so much when we are so rebellious? God is Love, He loved us first, and there is nothing we can do to make Him love us more or less. Nothing. God created mankind, and loved us, even though He knew not all will love Him back. Those of us that love Him back will fully experience His love and protection, until one day, we will be with Him for eternity. God is our help in time of need. That time may even be today, but we will pull through because of Him.

Prayer

Father, forgive me for doubting in your faithfulness. My hurt runs deep and the wounds reopen often. My instinct is to withdraw in order to survive. But I want to do more than merely get by. I want to be by your side, in your shelter and shadow. Protect me as I draw near to you and bring healing to my soul, that I may love and trust you more.

Scripture Memorization

Psalm 91:2 “I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Photo Credit: Bill Zielinski @zphotobc

Music Credit: By Your Side – Tenth Avenue North

Devotional Written by: Sambi Katano

Prayer: Pastor Deborah Downs