Safe from the Storm
The thunder boomed and my two-year-old niece’s whole demeanor changed. Instantly, she went from playing and acting silly with her cousins, to frantically looking around for her mom. As she desperately ran into my sister’s arms, I watched my sister lovingly pick her up and hold her. My sister assured her that the thunder wasn’t going to hurt her and that it was actually a display of God’s amazing power. Unsure, my niece remained in her mother’s arms as the fear seemed to diminish to trust. She contently sat in my sister’s lap while the storm passed, held by the one she trusted to keep her safe.
As I watched, I was struck by how much more our Father longs for us to run into His arms when we need assurance, rest, truth, and joy. His love is perfect and His faithfulness is the ultimate comfort.
The Psalmist beautifully portrayed this in Psalm 91:1-4.
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” - Psalm 91:1-4
But, how do we truly live this out in our day-to-day lives? What does it look like to live with great confidence and trust in God?
The Call
It starts with knowing what we, who are in Christ, are called to do: 1. Dwell in the shelter of the Most High and 2. Abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Both dwelling and abiding require an intimate knowledge and a deep, growing relationship. As we draw near to the Father, we get to know Him and become more and more in tune to His voice. He is the shelter we hide under and the shadow we stay within.
Practically, this involves spending time in the Word, praying consistently, and choosing to trust in His truth no matter what our days hold.
The Condition
This means we have a choice to make. God asks us to place our complete trust in Him as our refuge and fortress.
A fortress only provides protection if someone chooses to go inside. A parent’s arms only feel safe when a child crawls into their lap. And in the same way, it’s when we place our trust in God’s sovereignty over our lives, that our faith grows and we experience joy and peace more fully.
This choice is one we must make over and over. Will we trust Him when our world seems to crumble around us? Will we trust Him when everything is good? And will we then teach our children and those we invest in how to trust Him, too?
The Result
Lastly, this passage leaves us with a promise and shows us what God does when we choose to trust Him with our all day-by-day. This trust may not be the best it will ever be, and it may not be complete on this side of eternity, but with His help, we can trust Him more and surrender more of ourselves to Him. He promises to:
Deliver us
Cover us
Be our refuge
And be our shield of faithfulness
Would you view your circumstances differently if you looked at them from behind God’s shield of faithfulness?
This truth not only has the power to change our perspectives, but it also has the power to transform generations. As we choose to live with great confidence and trust in God, we display the power of the Gospel and the hope we have in Jesus. We cannot be shaken, because our God is faithful and our trust remains fully in Him.
Eventually, the thunder stopped booming and my niece continued chasing after her crazy cousins. But, the truth of this picture stands. Where will we run when the storms come? Will we choose to place our trust in the only One who can keep us safe?
Choose today to display God’s faithfulness by fully trusting in Him; our Refuge and our Fortress.
*Originally published on QSBC Women.
