Psalm 91:1 - Resting in Darkness
We used to have--until recently--a 16 pound schnoodle (Schnauzer + Poodle) named Francis. She was a wonderful dog: loving, smart, active. She loved to go on walks with us. Whenever we got the leash and put on our shoes, she would repeatedly leap a couple feet off the floor in anticipation.
There were a couple things that would spoil a walk for her. One was meeting other dogs. She was lacking in canine social skills. Meeting a large dog would intimidate her, and she'd shy away from the yapping of smaller dogs.
The other thing that might spoil a walk was on Main Street. There is a narrow walkway between two particular buildings, about four feet wide. At night, when only the street lights illuminated the sidewalks, that darkened walkway was the Abyss of Terror to Francis. She'd see it with her peripheral vision and immediately lunge in the opposite direction, straining at her leash to get away from the darkness.
Psalm 91:1 says, "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (New Living Translation)
There is a lot of darkness around us these days. Uncertainty. One wonders what the next, awful headline will be. We want to bolt from the shadows. Maybe there's something bad, waiting to attack us. We strain at the end of whatever leash holds us back from running as far as we can from the unknown.
But what if the shadow is being cast by God Himself? What if the blackness is the best place, the safest place we can be?
King David prayed:
Psalm 17:6–8 (NLT) — "6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. 7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies. 8 Guard me as you would guard the pupil of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings." Amen.
There were a couple things that would spoil a walk for her. One was meeting other dogs. She was lacking in canine social skills. Meeting a large dog would intimidate her, and she'd shy away from the yapping of smaller dogs.
The other thing that might spoil a walk was on Main Street. There is a narrow walkway between two particular buildings, about four feet wide. At night, when only the street lights illuminated the sidewalks, that darkened walkway was the Abyss of Terror to Francis. She'd see it with her peripheral vision and immediately lunge in the opposite direction, straining at her leash to get away from the darkness.
Psalm 91:1 says, "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (New Living Translation)
There is a lot of darkness around us these days. Uncertainty. One wonders what the next, awful headline will be. We want to bolt from the shadows. Maybe there's something bad, waiting to attack us. We strain at the end of whatever leash holds us back from running as far as we can from the unknown.
But what if the shadow is being cast by God Himself? What if the blackness is the best place, the safest place we can be?
King David prayed:
Psalm 17:6–8 (NLT) — "6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. 7 Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies. 8 Guard me as you would guard the pupil of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings." Amen.
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