I made a statement on Facebook recently that really seemed to hit home for a lot of people, so on the advice of a friend (thanks Brooke!), I’m going to expound a little more in hopes that some more folks can be blessed as we continue to grow and learn together along the way. Here was my post for you to consider.
“When my youngest daughter gets tired, hurt or overwhelmed, she runs to me, crawls in my lap and goes to sleep. Was thinking how much better off we would be if during those times we as Believers simply learned to run to the Father and rest in Him.”
On the day I posted, my four year old daughter, Elizabeth, had climbed up onto my lap and promptly gone to sleep. She had been tired and probably a little cranky, but it struck me that when she gets that way she always knows where to go – right to mommy or daddy’s arms!
Each of my girls has a special story and a special way they came to us through adoption – yes, all five of them! Elizabeth is the only child we have had since birth. The rest of my girls were between 3 and 9 years old when they came into our family. Of course, our relationship with each of them is precious, but there are some differences in how Elizabeth relates to us since we are the only parents she has ever known. There are many things I could share about that and probably fill another 2 or 3 articles about it, but for now my point is that when Elizabeth is looking for comfort and assurance, she knows we have always been there to offer that to her and have never turned her away. Sometimes because of past painful experiences my older girls have had, they have been shy about coming to us with problems because of their fear of rejection. Not my Elizabeth! At a moment’s notice she will cry out “MOMMY!!” and knows full well that no matter what I am doing I will come running to be sure she is okay. Being only four, sometimes her situations aren’t quite as urgent as her call for me makes it sound, but it doesn’t matter. She is my child, and when she calls on me, I am ALWAYS going to answer her!
Does that sound familiar to you? Psalm 91 is a powerful chapter that can build your faith regarding God’s protection and love for you as His child. In verse 15 in the King James Version it says, “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.” Listen to what it says in the Message Bible, “Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.”
Yes, that is right my friend! It is possible to call on God and He ALWAYS answer you! My first thought when I read that verse is this – “How do I become that person? Who is the “he” the Scripture is referring to? We have to go back to the beginning of the chapter to get the context of who “he” is that is calling upon God and getting an answer. Let’s look Psalms 91:1.
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Now, look at it in the Message Bible. “You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “GOD, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”
The “he” that is calling on God and getting an answer is the person in verse one who has decided to stay so close to the Father that he is in His shadow. The “he” is the person who sits down in God’s presence and spends the night there, all the while declaring who God is to them. The secret to always getting an answer from God when you are in trouble is very simple – stay in His shadow. Don’t let God turn around without having to bump into you! That happens to me a lot with Elizabeth. I won’t even know she’s there until I’ve almost run over her sometimes. Does that bother her? Not at all! She just flashes that cute little smile and reminds me that she is right where she is supposed to be. Although at times it can be cumbersome to have her underfoot, she knows that is a safe place and I would never dare take that from her. Although she is now telling me that she is a “big girl big girl”, it is important that she not get to be such a big girl that she forgets that the safest place for her is always home base!
Where are you safe? Most of us ladies are looking for a safe place to hide our hearts; a place of warmth and acceptance where we are free from condemnation and hurts from past mistakes and experiences. With a heavy heart I must admit that even in the Body of Christ that can be a hard place to find. That is why it is of utmost importance that we pull ourselves into the shadow of the Father and stay there. No matter who has abandoned you or changed their mind about you, God never will! He assures us in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave us or forsake us. When I stay close to Him in His shadow, I have the promise that He will be with me in trouble – never again will I have to face life alone.
Stick close to the Father friends. Love on Him all the time, even if it’s for 30 seconds! Sing to Him. Tell Him how you are feeling, and if the feeling is negative, ask His help to change it! Talk to your children about the Father and be sure they understand He is a real person they can call when they need Him. It is imperative in these times that we learn to run to God – not away from Him. Are you tired, hurt or overwhelmed? Do you need arms of assurance to surround you and carry you through this time? Follow Elizabeth’s lead on this one and run to your Father, crawl up in His lap and rest. Close your eyes, worship for a moment and see yourself there in His arms. Lay your head and His chest and hear His heart beating. It’s beating just for you.