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 – Psalm 91:1-4
I was sitting this morning reading Psalm 91. It’s a beautiful psalm and one I’ve read many times. Many of us know a few verses out of it, such as verse one: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
There are many stand-out verses in this psalm, verses that we recite in moments of struggle. But as I sat and read it this morning, verse four really jumped out and captured my attention:
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
More specifically, the first part of that talks about being covered in his feathers caught my eye.
Covering under His feathers.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t generally view bird feathers are being very strong. If anything, when I think of feathers, I think soft and gentle against your skin. But this verse clearly tells us that it is under His feathers that we will be covered.
So, naturally, I googled bird feathers and came across this statement: Feathers are fundamental to many aspects of a bird’s existence. They provide insulation essential for controlling body temperature, aerodynamic power necessary for flight, colours used for communications, and camouflage. Reading that statement made me realise that feathers are not in fact weak. Rather, they provide protection, strength and power for survival.
The strength of His wings.
Understanding this about bird feathers gave verse four a whole new meaning. We can easily dismiss God’s strength reading that verse, but God is not some small sparrow. He is not some tiny hummingbird. He is mighty. And powerful, like a crowned eagle, soaring high and untouchable by it’s prey.
God’s feathers provide protection to us in the midst of our battle. Verse three confirms this: Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. God is the God that can, and will save us from the enemy. [bctt tweet=”No matter what comes against us, our God is stronger. #acw #leilaarmstrong” username=”acwriters”] He is more powerful. And He will surely save us.
Our strong refuge and fortress.
Life is going to send storms our way. We have an enemy that is real and that seeks to destroy. And that comes in many different forms in life; struggles, relationship breakdowns, illness, financial challenges, heartache, betrayal. The list goes on. But regardless of what storm we find ourselves in, God is still God over the storm. He is still the One that rebukes the wind and calms the storm (Mark 4: 35-39).
God has always, and will always be, our defender and protector. His sovereignty and strength can overcome any battle. And we can be confident that He is in every battle with us, offering us His wings to shelter under. Opening His arms and inviting us to take refuge in Him.
Dwelling with the Most High
So how do we take refuge in Him? Like the psalmist says, we need to dwell in the shelter of the Most High. We need to sit at His feet and spend time with Him. There is a time and a place for quick prayers on the go, but the the only way we can really experience God’s love, protection and shelter is to spend time in His presence. It is to spend time meditating on His word, learning about His heart and character. It is knowing Him and falling in love with Him each day.
And it is understanding that even in the moments that we don’t feel, see or hear Him in the battle, He is still there. He never left. And He never will. God will not abandon His children because that is not who He is; He is loving Heavenly Father that loves and protects His children. We can be confident in that.
Whatever storm you may find yourself in today, I pray that you would fix your eyes on the Most High and take refuge in Him. Knowing that He loves you and will get you through it.
As posted on Reflections By Leila
Thank you, Leila; that was lovely.
Thank you, Susan.