Series: Call Me
Psalm 91:1-3 ESV
Psalm 91:3 MSG
Fear is a powerful motivator and non-motivator.
Fear can stop even the best of us in our tracks.
Fear can change how we think (which can be a good thing).
When I was a young teenager I had a recurring dream that I didn’t understand. To this day I don’t know why I had the same (or similar) dream over and over again.
In the dream I saw an overview of my neighborhood in Raytown, Missouri. I could see the houses and streets below. I could see my house below.
Each time I had the dream as I was watching my neighborhood a very large black dog that was as big as two houses stomped through my neighborhood reeking havoc.
Every time I woke up I was afraid and as I had the dream over and over again I became afraid of large black dogs.
Now…part of the problem I was faced with is that I did not understand dream interpretation at the time. I did not think of what the black dog represented to me.
Because I did not understand or ask for help with what the dog represented I developed a fear of large black dogs. That was strange because I love dogs. My dad taught me when I was young how to know what a dog is saying. He taught me not to touch a dog I did not know. He also taught me about signals a dog gives off if he/she is afraid of something.
Another thing to note is that the black dog did not attack me or anyone else in the dream.
The dog simply walked through my neighborhood.
Eventually I did tell my dad about the dream about the large black dog.
After thinking for a moment and knowing my dad, praying as he thought, he opened a dialog with me about fear and ways God helps us with fear.
The principles and lessons he taught me have served me well all the years of my life.
The first (and most important lesson) started with God, who God is, what God has done (and does) for us, and how to rely on God.
Psalm 91:1-3 tells us, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.”
The author of the psalm is nameless, and some scholars attribute it to Moses, others to David. In my mind naming the author doesn’t change the power or truth of the psalm. What we do know is that the author understood fear and knew the answer to dispelling fear was to turn to Almighty Holy God.
The author understood that dwelling in the shelter of God is possible. Knowing as a child I could be “one” who can dwell in the shelter of God was a powerful image for me.
It meant I was covered by God.
I was protected by God.
Turning to God by thinking of God for a millisecond reminded me God perpetually covered me.
Choosing God means we abide in God’s shadow of protection.
Verbally telling God I recognize God is my refuge and fortress creates a bond between child and Father.
Speaking words of trust to God solidify my position. In other words if a child is afraid of something strange and she returns to her father’s side and takes his hand, an immediate connection is made between the father and the child. The father is there (and is available) and the child trusts the father and returns to take his hand. It’s an unbreakable bond of trust between the child and the father.
The child now has no fear because she knows whatever happens or what she fears no longer matters. The father will protect and deliver her from anything that comes.
She does not need to fear the “snare of the fowler”. The fowler’s snare is a trap set for others. A young bird was set as the bait.
She is not afraid of the “deadly pestilence”. At the time Psalm 91 would have been written a deadly pestilence would have been a fatal disease or a plague.
According to the Message in Psalm 91:3, “That's right - he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.”
The point is: fear is gone.
God will protect. Choosing to put ourselves under God’s protection daily produces a bond with us and God.
The bond of love between the Father and the Child is unbreakable. That love covers all.
Ultimately even though large problems may come (the black dog) in my life, God would always take care of me. Once my dad helped me to understand that, I stopped having that same dream.
Spiritual Practice: Pray and call on the Spirit of the living loving God asking God to fill every part of the space with the Spirit of God.Take God’s hand. Tell God what you fear. Receive God’s love and protection. Let God cover you.
In God, Deborah
Kommentare