“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1)

Outside of checking the local forecast, I don’t normally watch the Weather Channel. The one exception is if I happen to come across an episode of Storm Stories while channel surfing. I find some the episodes having to do with hurricanes and tornadoes particularly fascinating. The intensity of these storms is amazing. Hurricanes are those slow-moving storms so deliberate in their approach that unless you have personally experienced one before, you may not believe it could be so powerful. That is, until it arrives with all its fury. On the other hand, tornadoes are often right on top of you before you even realize it. Though radar detects their risk, there can be little time to prepare. And what about the devastation they can cause in just a matter of minutes? Images from these episodes on the Weather Channel make it clear the destruction these storms cause. Which one presents the greater risk depends on the area of the country in which you live. Part of how people prepare for these storms is by knowing the best places in their homes to take shelter in hopes of remaining safe and secure until the storm passes.

Safety and security in the midst of adversity is the central theme of Psalm 91, but it’s security that comes from the Lord. The Hebrew word for “dwell” means to be settled. In verse 1, God is referred to as both the “Most High” and “Almighty”. “Most High” emphasizes God’s strength and sovereignty. We are to be settled in the shelter that He alone provides. When God is referred to as “Almighty,” the emphasis is on His self-existence, His activity in the world, and His guardianship over our lives. To “abide” means to remain; a faithful person abides in His “shadow,” shadow being a metaphor for being under the care and protection of the Almighty.

Storms appear in life as well. Maybe they’ve appeared in yours. Life storms don’t discriminate. They don’t care about geography, social status, income, race, gender, or anything else. What kind of storm have you encountered? Was it like a hurricane, that slow-moving and progressive storm, maybe a drawn-out illness you or someone you love is battling? Perhaps it was trouble in your marriage that you and your spouse just can’t seem to get through. Or was your storm like a tornado—the sudden death or disability of a spouse, child, parent, or friend? Maybe it was the job loss you never saw coming. In all these storms, have you ever considered that just maybe you’ve been seeking the wrong shelter? God is powerful and sovereign over any storm. And He loves us greatly. When you and I settle in the shelter that He alone provides, He is pleased to keep us in His shadow and see us through any storm. Believe that! If you’ve been fortunate to thus far be “storm” free, thank God for it, but don’t wait until the storm hits to seek His shelter. Seek it now. There is an amazing rest to be found in God. Seek the only shelter that is truly secure.