Rest in His Shadow

Psalm 91:1-2
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.”

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,  
But I have promises to keep, 
And miles to go before I sleep, 
And miles to go before I sleep. -Robert Frost

Tim and I enjoy walking Rosie May at the local park. We often take her around the paved path, then let her run and play catch on the tennis court. The other day, as the heat of the day increased, we chose the wooded path for a short hike. As we trekked along the gravel trail, I looked up and admired the canopy the trees made as they bowed over the walking path. I welcomed the shade as the sun rose higher and the temperatures went up. The blue sky peeked through the green leaves and created a picture of the beauty God created. The woods were indeed lovely.

The canopy of trees reminded me of the shelter God provides. On that hot morning, He provided shade. The times when my heart hurts for this world, God offers comfort and confidence in Him. I'm thankful He is in control of this mess, and He will never leave me.

I rarely watch the news because I'm disappointed in how it's presented and in how people are falling for Satan's antics. They fling so much tragedy in our faces. It truly is a sad state of being, but my friends, we have hope and a place to go for comfort. As I continue my journey on this earth, with miles to go and promises to keep, I know without doubt, Jesus walks with me and His joy fills my soul. He keeps me moving forward.

Jesus' love gives us the hope we need to walk in this weary world, and God offers comfort and peace as we rest in His shadow. He is my refuge, and I trust Him.

Seek God's shelter.

The Living Water

John 4:39-42
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

I was thirsty.

After knee replacement and other surgeries, I experienced the ice chip diet. To keep my stomach from upset, the nurse offered me small chips of frozen water. As refreshing as the chips were, they didn’t quench my thirst. I longed for more.

In life, searching and reaching for dreams has led me down some roads that didn’t satisfy. A rabbit trail into a writing foray God never intended. A job that led to frustration. No matter how hard I tried to make them fit my life, they didn’t.

We tend to search for answers and not like the results. The Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well had struggled with relationships. She’d veered from God’s path for her life and found herself thirsty. When she met Jesus, she realized she’d been missing out on the living water. The water that quenches all thirst. She’d lifted the bucket and dipped from Jacob’s well many times, but she’d never tasted from the living water Jesus offered.

When he opened his heart to this woman and spoke truth to her, she believed in the power of Jesus to save her from a life of sin. She longed to dip into the waters of eternal life, and she shared her experience with everyone in her town.

Whether you’ve dipped in Jesus’ well or are drawn to consider his plan of salvation, know that his well of living water never runs dry. He asks us to believe then he offers understanding. With his living water he promises life everlasting.