Scriptures of Encouragement ~ A Sure Place

Daddy was a giant of a man, at least to my little girl eyes. I ran to him when I was afraid. I crawled into his lap when I needed comfort or a snuggle. My daddy was a sure place in my little girl's world.

I played a game with daddy. We dubbed it the Shadow Game. On hot southern afternoons when the sun baked the earth and a father and his little girl tended the garden, refuge from the heat was hard to come by, except in the shadows - the shadow of the father.

As daddy worked the hoe and stirred the soil, I tried to stay in his shadow. When he stepped, I stepped. When he knelt, I knelt. I had to stay close to stay in his shadow. If I got distracted and didn't keep up with him, the sun blazed down on me, my skin burned, and sweat dripped freely. But, when I followed daddy's movement closely I found shelter from the sun.

And, in the closeness, I could hear him whisper to me.

His whispers were one way he kept me close enough to stay sheltered. He whispered silly things. He whispered secrets to tending a garden well. He whispered love between a father and his little girl. Sometimes he sang a song I would have missed had I been running around doing my own thing.

Our Father God is a sure place, too.

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High 

shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty 

[Whose power no foe can withstand]. 

I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; 

on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust." 

~ Psalm 91:1,2, Amplified

When I stay close to the Lord - when I dwell in His Presence - His Presence casts a shadow that shelters me. The shadow of His Presence is a sure place. No foe can reach me. I cannot be burned. In His shadow I hear His sweet whispers and the song He sings to me in the night places.

Could it be that when fears overtake me and the cares of the world become too much - could it be that I have ventured out from the protecting Shadow? Yes! Absolutely. When my courage ends, my heart will find strength as I make my way back to the sure place of my Father's love. There, and only there, will the ruins come back to life as His Spirit breathes beauty into the ashes. 

His shadow is my refuge. 
His shadow is my comfort. 
His shadow is my sure place in a very uncertain world.



Father God, How can I ever thank You enough for giving me understanding of this incredible Truth? It is Your Presence - Your being - that casts the shadow of safety. It is in abiding IN You, dwelling richly IN Your Presence that we find Your secret place beneath the shadow of Your wing. Thank You, Lord, for that provision. You are amazing Lord. I love You and I give You praise.
*********************************************************
If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory  page. If you love church choirs you'll love this video of the Mount Paran Church Choir singing, "Under the Shadow". I promise.