Psalm 91 (NIV)
Thanks to a wonderful sub-culture called Hollywood – we all now know that in an emergency in America, we need to dial 911 and sirens blazing help will soon be at hand.
Psalm 91:1 is one of those sort of verses.
The promises listed in this psalm offer tremendous protection and hope. Promises such as:
And they go on…the psalm is full of encouraging words.
HOWEVER everything hinges on the first verse of the psalm, which make the promises quite conditional. It is almost like for the police to arrive in America someone needs to dial 911. For God to be present in our lives, we need to dial in Psalm 91:1.
Vs 1: (ESV)
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
The protection and comfort are for ‘He who dwells’ and ‘abides’. These aren’t words that are common parlance these days but we know that dwelling does not imply a mere a visit – it is more of a staying situation - in the shelter or secret place as the NIV calls it.
By believing in our heart that Jesus is Lord and coming under His leadership – we are also under His blanket of protection.
As a growing disciple of Jesus Christ, our focus should be to come to a dwelling place of complete dependency and true intimacy with God.
A great way to develop that is to get into a routine of reading the Bible; Meditating on a verse or two that speaks to you, really chewing over it, perhaps getting a commentary out or looking up a study Bible to understand it a bit more; Praying, asking God to speak to you through the verses; Singing out to God in worship.
These private encounters with God are all instrumental in sharpening our public lives.
Dwelling in the secret place of God is a lifetime pursuit. It completely defines us.
Lord, I pray that amidst life’s crazy schedules I will carve out a time with you that will be the bedrock of my being. Help me God to cultivate a lifestyle that seeks a deep intimacy with You and Your ways. May my encounters with you define me completely. Amen.
Thanks to a wonderful sub-culture called Hollywood – we all now know that in an emergency in America, we need to dial 911 and sirens blazing help will soon be at hand.
Psalm 91:1 is one of those sort of verses.
The promises listed in this psalm offer tremendous protection and hope. Promises such as:
- Being saved from a fowler’s snare
- Finding refuge under in His wings
- His faithfulness being our shield and rampart
- Not having to fear the arrow of the day nor the terror of the night
And they go on…the psalm is full of encouraging words.
HOWEVER everything hinges on the first verse of the psalm, which make the promises quite conditional. It is almost like for the police to arrive in America someone needs to dial 911. For God to be present in our lives, we need to dial in Psalm 91:1.
Vs 1: (ESV)
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
The protection and comfort are for ‘He who dwells’ and ‘abides’. These aren’t words that are common parlance these days but we know that dwelling does not imply a mere a visit – it is more of a staying situation - in the shelter or secret place as the NIV calls it.
By believing in our heart that Jesus is Lord and coming under His leadership – we are also under His blanket of protection.
As a growing disciple of Jesus Christ, our focus should be to come to a dwelling place of complete dependency and true intimacy with God.
A great way to develop that is to get into a routine of reading the Bible; Meditating on a verse or two that speaks to you, really chewing over it, perhaps getting a commentary out or looking up a study Bible to understand it a bit more; Praying, asking God to speak to you through the verses; Singing out to God in worship.
These private encounters with God are all instrumental in sharpening our public lives.
Dwelling in the secret place of God is a lifetime pursuit. It completely defines us.
Lord, I pray that amidst life’s crazy schedules I will carve out a time with you that will be the bedrock of my being. Help me God to cultivate a lifestyle that seeks a deep intimacy with You and Your ways. May my encounters with you define me completely. Amen.
Zuper!
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