Psalm 91:1 – He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (NASB)

I live on Maui. It's beautiful and temperate most of the time. When the trade winds stop, however, it can become unbearably hot. If I'm on a hike or working outside, I long for shade. When the heat is on, I want, desperately, a shadow, to rest in. Wouldn't it be nice to have a good shadow with me always?

When the heat is on, when troubles present themselves, when trials scorch us, where do we go, what do we do? Where is our shelter? To whom or to where do we run? Our friends? Our spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend? That cold bottle of beer? Our job? Our home projects? That big bag of M&Ms? Computer games? The latest DVD? Intellectual pursuits? The spy novel? There are so many places where we can "dwell". Most "dwellings" are not inherently bad. We do need ways of relaxing; we do need connections with others. But can we consistently dwell in books or conversations or comforts? In my life, I've found that when I start turning to other people or things or habits, dwelling in them instead of immediately turning to the Most High, I'm comforted initially, but it wears off. The sun shifts and the shadow of comfort moves. But when I dwell in shelter of the Most High, He is so enormous, so all-encompassing, that I find rest for my soul.

How do we dwell in the shadow of the Almighty? We can dwell there by not turning our back on Him, by being mindful of the Lord and of His Word, by being in continuous relationship with Him. We are not visitors or guests who stay for a bit and then go on our way. We are part of the Lord's household.

Prayer:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
– Thomas Chisholm

Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Kathleen Ageton <kathleen.ageton@gmail.com>
Wailuku, Hawaii, USA
Send your feedback to the author