Your 100 Day Prayer: Day 56 – Real Security

by TJ Bates

He who 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

Since I feel what the writer has to say in his book, Your 100 Day Prayer, about this Psalm too important to leave any part of it out, the following is the complete quote for this day:

Psalm 91 gives us a number of very comforting images, each one chosen to maximize our sense of security in God. Just think carefully about each one:

• You can dwell in the shelter of the Most High.
• You can rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
• He is your refuge and your fortress.
• 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.

It’s as though if we don’t get the point of one, the psalmist presents another–if the imagery of one doesn’t grab us, maybe the next one will.

If we were to translate this passage into something more contemporary, we could list things such as: underground bomb shelter, impenetrable bunker, fail-safe security system, faithful-to-death bodyguard…and the list goes on. Many of the greatest images of safety and security were gathered here to communicate to us the wonderful oversight of our Creator.

The psalmist shows us how we really get away from fear and find the peace of mind we seek. We get all this by doing what the Bible tells us repeatedly to do–to dwell in God, trusting in him. “To dwell” means to abide or to remain or to continue. It is found all throughout the Bible and is a favorite way in the New Testament of expressing the life of faith (see John 15:1-17). It means that if we want to live in a place of safety and security, then we need to unpack our bags, throw our lot in with Jesus, and plan to live out our lives unreservedly under the umbrella of God’s will and purpose. It’s in this that we will find our joy, purpose, and confidence. Those who have done this for the long haul have found it to be true. You can be one of them.

TODAY’S PRAYER: Think about your greatest fear today. Now ask God to overwhelm you with a sense of absolute security in his protective care and let him dwarf your fear in light of his powerful presence.

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Photo by Lutz Staacke via Flickr