Psalm 91:1–8 ‘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.”’ (vv1–2)
A shelter offers temporary protection, from bad weather, for example. Sometimes this offers the only way to avoid danger. Often, we instinctively rage against the danger rather than rest.
The problem lies beyond my control and I become stressed. My fight and flight system kicks into action, blood rushes to my muscles ready for the struggle. My brain, starved of oxygenated blood, fails to think rationally. I usually live to regret my instinctive actions.
However, God invites us continually to live in His shelter. We can only navigate life effectively by resting in God, regardless of circumstance. The Bible shares many testimonies of those who found rest in God through troublesome times. Beyond God we can only ever find terror and destruction.
Learning to rest in God in every circumstance is the work of prayer. This is the reason St Paul encourages us all to ‘pray without ceasing’ (1 Thess. 5:17, ESV). This prayer practice sounds impossible to many. We need constantly to remind ourselves that in God ‘we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:28).
From the moment we open our eyes and pray aloud, ‘Lord, may Your light and life shine into my heart and home this day,’ to closing them at night praying, ‘Lord, may You protect us from all darkness and confusion,’ we are to pepper every day with prayer.
My work routine is broken with moments of prayer, often the ‘Our Father’ or the Jesus prayer. Although challenging when pressure comes, it’s better to pray than aimlessly rant.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER:
Ps. 32:1–7; Isa. 32:1–8; Matt. 11:25–30; Heb. 11:13–16
AN ACTION TO TAKE:
What strategies and tactics might you adopt purposefully to place yourself in
the shelter of the Most High? Slowly introduce prayerful rest into each
moment of your daily life.
A PRAYER TO MAKE:
‘Lord, You reign supreme. May I turn to You for encouragement and
help throughout my day. Amen.’
Image by mostafa meraji from Pixabay
