Under His Wings

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the Lord:  He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.  For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.  He will cover you with his feathers.  He will shelter you with his wings.  His faithful promises are your armor and protection.  Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.  Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.  I will protect those who trust in my name.  When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.  I will rescue and honor them.  I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”  Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16

It is no wonder that, during difficult times, believers instinctively turn to the Psalms for comfort and assurance.  And, there are always difficult times; often it seems life is one long wrestling match with mountains.  If you’re not in a tough moment, you’ve just come out of one, and if you’ve been trouble-free for a good while, just hang-on, your old enemy will bring you a tempest soon enough!

The pure joy that floods my soul reading Psalm 91 is balm for whatever ails me.  Whether it is physical difficulties that the doctors can’t cure, financial shortfalls, a relationship on the rocks, or some spiritual malaise that has managed to worm its way into my life, and suck the joy right out of my bones, God’s assuring presence and power are just one surrendering-prayer from lifting me out of the depths.  It’s almost inexpressable how His Word cares for me.

The hymnwriters, no strangers when it comes to tough times, pen words and music that heal.  They’ve been, to my soul, master craftsmen of preaching God’s comfort and power through major and minor keys, meter, and rhyme.  One hymn that expresses so well the care God has for his children is Under His Wings.[1]

      Under His wings I am safely abiding;

Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him--I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me and I am His child.

Refrain:
Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.

Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed. (Refrain)

Under His wings, O what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me,
Resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore. (Refrain)

For You Today

Sheltered, protected, resting safe-evermore…nothing in this world can ever match that…and it’s free and assured in Christ Jesus for the child of God.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

Under His Wings (2016) and "Mother" Nature

[1] Images:  via Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] Under His Wings, Text:  William O. Cushing,    Music:  Ira D. Sankey, The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration, (Waco, Texas, Word Music, 1986) #356

A Fortress Like No Other

 

Friday, January 22, 2021

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.  O my people, trust in him at all times.  Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.  Psalm 62:5-8

      ·       Note – often, when writing these devotionals, I check back to see what I’ve written before on the same text, so I can list other posts on the same Scripture.  ^{(Hint:  check the footnotes)}.  This morning the check-back proved painfully fruitful.  Here’s what I wrote in October 2019 about Waiting in a Small Place:

When alone, particularly early in the morning as this moment can attest, I think of the life I’ve lived, and those small places that I return to…

·      stubborn, not submitted to Christ’s changing power

·      willful, hardly obedient, except if it can be seen by others

·      selfish, less than generous, except if it can be seen by others

·      fearful, not depending on the Rock of Jesus’ saving power

·      wavering, looking for a way out that I can see instead of faith-walking

·      wobbly-kneed, untrue, and crabby…hardly a tower of graciousness. 

Before I begin a day, I must always cover this ground in my prayers.  Like David, I know myself too well to imagine I’ll be just fine without God’s constant hand leading, and His Spirit forming me from the inside-out.

Now, what I wrote a year ago was true about Russell (and perhaps you as well).  And it was true about King David when he wrote Psalm 62 three-thousand years ago.  Truth doesn’t change, especially about human nature’s fragility.  Honestly most human beings spend more time than not in small places, inside our bubble, either denying vulnerability, or, perhaps, planning how to achieve safety in a scary world. 

King David knew both vulnerability and the false feeling of invincibility.  He began life as a sheep-tender, spending much time alone in the wilderness.  He spent some time in the company of a madman (King Saul), the object of a paranoid schizophrenic’s fear of losing his throne.  David also had to live with his sins, adultery, conspiracy, and murder of an innocent man.  As king, David was the most powerful man on earth at the time.  However, when he was alone with his thoughts, all David’s strength paled by comparison to the righteous, omnipotent power of Jehovah-God.  It’s easy (and right) to feel quite small at such times.

And yet David could write about that God, Jehovah, as the very reason to feel safe, to know safe and secure; this God of David’s was a fortress like no other.  And so the shepherd-turned-king could encourage his flock, Israel, to always trust God, and pour-out their hearts in prayer to Him. 

No matter what kind of scale you use to measure the importance of political views and policies, this world has always been a scary place. 

·       It is scary for Republicans to see the Democrats control, and the reverse is also true. 

·       It was hard, as a young child, for me to hear about the Russians dropping a nuclear bomb on my head. 

And when, at such times, I spend too much time inside my head, figuring out how I will survive, or what the government, or pandemics, or my own sins can do to unravel my life, it is time to stop that maddening process and run like a surprised jackrabbit to the fortress of my soul.  It is time to practice what I preach, placing all my trust in God.

For You Today

What does your fortress look like?  And, who built it? 

King David assures us that if your fortress is any place, person, or thing other than Christ’s outstretched arms, you’ve built yourself a house on a foundation of sand.  Better something built on the solid rock!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image: Courtesy of Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on Psalm 62 see Lightweights in the Wind and Waiting in a Small Place      

 

When Destination Enters the Journey

Monday, March 23, 2020

In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  John 1:1

So the Word became human and made his home among us.  He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.  John 1:14

Genesis tells us that when humans sinned in the Garden of Eden it broke the fellowship between man and God.  But it also broke the intended destination of mankind.  We are created for relationship and residence in our ultimate destination, the presence of God.  We are His family.

Jesus had that.  As the Word, Jesus was with God.  Jesus was always at the Father’s side in unbroken fellowship since before time began.  But it was interrupted by the cross of Calvary.  He came to dwell among us and die for us.  Fellowship with God was our intended destination.  When sin shut down man’s journey, Jesus came to enter and walk the journey with us. 

The Bible tells us that Jesus promised that:

“I will never fail you.  I will never abandon you.”.  Hebrews 13.5b

Before September 2001 many Americans felt safe, like our borders were largely impenetrable.  Nowadays the word terrorist is a daily part of our vocabulary; it is an uncertain and anarchy-prone, tumultuous world in which we live. Our children walk their journey somewhat nervous and cynical about the future. 

And, who doesn’t get even a little concerned, (or full-blown manic) about the novel coronavirus, Covid-19?  I went into a store last week and intentionally stuck my left hand in my pocket, so I’d only use my right hand to touch things.  I did everything one-handed, and when I got back to my car, I used the left hand to drench/cleanse my right hand with sanitizer. 

Life is different than it used to be…and isn’t that the nature of a journey into the future?

Jesus came to walk this valley journey with us.  He is the destination for which our souls were created, and that for which we crave.  But Jesus does not make us wait to get there – Jesus, our destination, has entered the journey to run the race with us.  What a joy!

For You Today

The main issue here is one of faithfulness.  Jesus is eternal, and yet he walks this temporary journey with us.  When He says, I’ll never abandon you, He isn’t just talking about this week, or as long as you do everything right.  This is an eternal commitment from Jesus to each of us who follow Him. 

How comforting is that thought!  It’s good to know you have something you can count on during this difficult and uncertain journey we call life. 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title Image:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

For other posts on John 1 see Catch  or  And the Word Became Flesh

When the Elephant is a Sanctuary

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Friday, January 24, 2020

The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid?  The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?  When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.  Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.  Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.  The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.  For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary.  He will place me out of reach on a high rock.  Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.  At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.  Psalm 27:1-6

Yesterday the elephant was the one that put the fear of God in our little mission group; today’s elephant is the sanctuary of a mother’s protection felt by her calf.  David’s heart reveal in this Psalm is how his focus is singularly on dwelling in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.  But this is not the temple made with rock and mortar.  David wasn’t looking for a hidey place to check out of reality and spend his days strumming a harp; instead he understood his greatest need was the temple of that relationship between God and human.  It is that holy place where the expectant heart surrenders to the sovereignty of God, and your life is ever directed by God’s Spirit.  It is the marriage of creator and creature restored to its’ intended unity and purpose.  It’s when the soul is placed on the altar, offered unconditionally to the unseen God.  It’s where we have given all of what we know of ourselves to all we suspect God might be.  Sanctuary comes with surrender!

Do you remember that question you asked over and again?  It’s that one about when God might show you His will for your life.  The question is asked in many ways, just give me a sign, God…Father, I don’t know what to do…hey, preacher, what does God really want me to do with my life?  The main problem with this question is that it is usually attached to a string.  We want God to fill-in all the blanks before we sign the contract.  But a life of faith just doesn’t work that way. 

To live in the sanctuary of God and know God’s protection, providence, and guidance, you must enter by faith, and proceed entirely on faith.  That is our example from every faithful saint throughout history.  Consider Abraham:

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.  And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.                                   Hebrews 11:8-9

For You Today

There’s no greater sanctuary than a heart filled with faith and occupied by the Spirit of the Holy One come down!  When it comes to knowing God, and enjoying life in His Kingdom, we start, proceed, and finish with faith. 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image:   Pixabay.com    Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

The Everlasting Arms

[1]

Friday, July 27, 2018

You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security.  He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.  Proverbs 3:25-26^(NLT)

The hymns we sing come back to haunt us sometimes; their theology is sound, but our sometimes weak (and only wishful) application of that theology is shaky at best.  One of those hymns got me a few weeks ago.  The hymn in question is one I have sung often since I first heard it as a child:  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.  What stung me is the faulty way I have clung to the chorus of that hymn:

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.[2]

“Safe and secure” is a basic human need and desire; we all want to be safe, protected from the boogie man lurking in the closet, or under the bed.  But the fact remains we do not live in a world where that kind of peaceful security is the norm.  Just ask Job.  If anyone could have expected his borders were going to remain secure, it was the rich, respected man from Uz.  But Job’s life fell apart in an afternoon; health, wealth, family, position in the community, and even his clear skin were covered with violence and boils – the man lost everything.  It certainly seems like the destruction that comes from the wicked won out there; where were the everlasting arms that day?

And what about all the times YOU prayed for something – and that something never materialized? 

And what about those fires in California, mudslides in Indonesia, and all the murders?  What about Alzheimer’s, cancer, and the all the creeping-up that old age does on you?  Why do children die in their cribs, and serial killers get to live in prisons we pay for…or, worse…just get away with it?  Why?  Everlasting arms…really?

It becomes abundantly clear how misleading the hymn can be when we apply the thought of God’s care and protection to our lives merely from the point of what WE humans think we need, or worse, what we think we WANT.

Back to a couple of weeks ago when I was pondering this gap in my theological garment, as to why bad things happen if God is really on the job.  My DVR is set to record Dr. David Jeremiah while I’m at church on Sundays, and one day that week Elizabeth and I sat down to watch the recorded message.  The sermon was one in a series from Ecclesiastes, so he was preaching on this enigma of how God can claim He’s looking out for us, and yet, such terrible stuff happens.  And this meddling preacher jumped right into the chink in my thinking.  Here’s what he said:

You will never find security in the things God does, only in WHO God IS.  God is consistent in His nature, but totally unpredictable in what He does.[3]

Now that sounds contradictory; if God is loving, shouldn’t his actions be the same?  If God is patient with us, why not just hold off all the bad stuff till we get our act together?    Why don’t the everlasting arms keep all alarms away?

Well, that’s a good question, for which I still don’t have the answer, but suffice to say, I don’t need the answer yet.  Like Job, who questioned God’s motives about all his problems, and got an answer he wasn’t ready enough, or big enough to handle, God said:  Little man, you can’t see from up here where I see; chill out, I’m on your side.

If you need a Scripture verse to hang that on, here it is:

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:9^(NLT)

For You Today

The bottom line is always that the everlasting arms are always on the job, and we can trust in God to keep us from harm; it’s just that we can’t see those arms when they’re busy wrapping around us, keeping the real hounds of hell at bay.  Keep your eyes higher than your problems; that’s where the real action is!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day. 

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[1] Title Image:  Courtesy of Pixabay.com

[2] Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Elisha A. Hoffman & Anthony J. Showalter, 1887

[3] Dr. David Jeremiah, Turning Point Broadcast, July 11, 2018