John spoke this morning from Psalm 91. He reminded us that it is easy to feel pessimistic about the world and our prospects; recent newspaper reports indicate that 1 in 3 teenage girls worry about being stalked by strangers and 1/4 of teenage boys are in dread of being assaulted. The whole world is affected by shadows which cloud our perspective – shadows of guilt and failure, debt and ill-health, family problems or work issues, disappointment or bereavement. Nonetheless, despite all these shadows (which affect Christians as well as non-Christians), if we dwell in the secret place with God, we can abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Ps 91:1) – a very different kind of shadow!
In hot countries, the shadow provides a place of refuge and protection from the sun’s scorching rays. God Himself is our refuge and fortress, a place of safety and survival. We are protected from snares and pestilence, from visible and invisible threats. Moreover, even in the middle of death and destruction, we are preserved (Ps 91:7-8), just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were. We are protected in dangerous situations and from dangerous situations (Ps 91:10-11).
Not only does God’s shadow provide protection, it give us the promise of deliverance, honour and salvation. God’s shadow overshadows everything; as Elisha’s servant discovered, God’s armies are far greater than the armies of our enemies! (2 Ki 6:17) If God is for us, then none of our enemies will prevail. We can dwell in the secret place and find both protection and promise.