My mentor, Dr. George Westlake, has often preached from Psalm 91. It was and continues to be one of my favourite passages of scripture. It was moving to hear him quote this beautiful passage while choking back tears. Tears? Yes, tears! He saw the wonder of God’s love in this chapter:
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High”. If one could feast on the word of God, these ten words could feed us for a long, long time!
“He”. God! We are not talking about a man or woman who can fail. God is the one whom we adore and magnify because “he is”! God said to Moses, “I am”. (Exodus 3:14) Our first thought should always and forever be “God”! There is no other. Perfect in love, perfect in grace, perfect in mercy.
“Who Dwells”. Living in a home is only part of the story. Only a portion of my life is spent there. A dwelling is more than four walls. I have known some who dwell in bitterness and fear. I have also known people who live in the freedom of joy and peace that springs from a sweet relationship with God. “Home is where your heart is”, is a true statement. The troubling thing is that some may choose to let their heart dwell in places God has never intended for them.
“In the Shelter”. Have you ever wondered what the shelter of God is? Isn’t it great to be in a shelter when the rains come or when winds kick up? Not only do we need shelter for our bodies, we also need shelter for our inner man. This world of hatred and disconnection swirls around indiscriminantly. The soul of man needs a shelter from what can wound and ultimately destroy.
“Of the most High”. The good news is that God is above all. By saying this, it is not inferred that God is afar off. He is the Most High, meaning nothing, but nothing, supersedes his authority and power. He is supremely the great and mighty ruler over all things. Read the book of Job, look at the blue sky, and think about how your next breath is given by God Almighty. This is no over-statement! Colossians 1:17 says, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together”. To the believer, there is no fear because God is the Most High. He is not intimidated or surprised by anything.
In the midst of what happens to us and what we do, we have a shelter from everything. When temptations come, we have a shelter. When attack comes, we have a shelter. When disappointment comes, we have a shelter. We also have a shelter in good times.
Earlier I asked, “what is the shelter of God?”. Psalm 91:2 tells us that God himself is our shelter. With this joyful thought, let’s dwell, live, walk, and exist in a 24/7 love relationship with the Almighty, who is our shelter. We appreciate your Comments
