September 1, 2016
Under the Protection of The Most High
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
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 … If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. (Psalm 91:1-4, 9-10).
Friend to Friend
Corrie Ten Boom tells the true story of young Englishman who was held prisoner in a German prion camp for a long period of time during World War II. One day he read Psalm 91 and fell to his knees in prayer.
“Father in heaven,” he prayed. “I see all these men dying around me, one after the other. Will I also have to die here? I am still young and I very much want to work in Your kingdom here on earth.”
God spoke to his heart, “Rely on what you have just read and go home.”
Trusting God, the young Englishman got up and walked into the corridor toward the gate.
A guard called out, “Prisoner, where are you going?”
“I am under the protection of The Most High,’” he replied. The guard came to attention and let him pass, because Adolf Hitler was known as The Most High.
The man came to the gate where a group of guards stood. They commanded him to stop and asked where he was going.
“I am under the protection of The Most High,” the Englishman replied.
All the guards stood at attention as the prisoner walked out the gate. The English officer made his way through the German countryside and eventually reached England where he told how he had made his escape. He was the only one to come out of that prison alive.
As fully devoted followers of Christ, you and I are under the protection of The Most High. We serve the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the One who spoke the world into existence. The One who raised Lazarus from the grave and turned the water into wine has redeemed us.
And yet many of us live in defeat. Fear and doubt fill our hearts and minds to the point that we wonder if God really is who He says He is and will do what He promises to do in His Word. We question His ways. We question Him.
Why? We have not made The Most High our dwelling.
The word “dwell” used in this verse actually means, “to take up permanent residence in.” God is reminding us to stay in His presence. If we do that, we will rest in the “shadow of the Almighty.”
I live in Kansas City. To say that our summer has been brutal is putting it mildly. As the temperature gauge registered day after day of scorching temperatures, I have been reminded of a profound truth.
Shadows provide relief from the direct heat of the sun. I know. It sounds so simple, but stay with me. There is great protection in shadows. I can tell you that when I have been outside this summer, I have looked for the shadows and run to them because they offer sweet relief from the direct heat of the sun.
When life heats up, we need to rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
When the crisis hits and knocks the breath right out of us, we can run to Him. There we can rest in His shadow - the place where peace and confidence rise up strong within us and shelter us from the fierceness of life.
And right in the middle of our mess, He reminds us that because He is in control, our mess is the perfect setting for a miracle.
I cannot do life on my own. I know that. But life is so daily. And when I get wrapped up in just doing the next thing to get through the day, I forget that His presence is my beginning and my end.
In my human logic, I shove aside the reality that I need Him and that my frantic attempts to resolve the impossible situations in my life are really nothing more than my desperate pleas for the comfort of His presence.
All I have to do is remember and cling to the truth that I am under the protection of The Most High.
Let’s Pray
Father, I want to live in the shadow of Your wing. When life is hard, and I don’t know what to do, help me remember that You are with me and that I am never alone. I cannot live without You. I cannot face tomorrow without the promise of Your presence. Today I choose to walk and live under the protection of You, The Most High.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
God is always at work on behalf of those who love Him. Read Psalm 91:14-16. Create a list of the promises God makes to those who choose to walk in His presence.
Psalm 91:14-16 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
More from the Girlfriends
If you need help learning how to trust God, get Mary’s new book, 10-Day Trust Adventure, now available in soft cover. Perfect for personal or small group study, this book addresses the decisions you make in every area of life and teaches you how to make those decisions as you step out in faith and trust God.
Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.
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