Several years ago the Lord allowed me to experience this particular attribute in a real way. My daughter, Leanna, had to be hospitalized for an EEG. At that time, she was six years old and being in the hospital surrounded by machines and unfamiliar people made her quite apprehensive. When undergoing an EEG, electrodes are glued onto your head. The process of attaching the electrodes to the scalp takes a long time and requires that you lay very still.
Needless to say because of her fear, all Leanna wanted to do was cry and reach for her momma. In that moment, I did not know what to do. The nurse seemed to be getting frustrated at Leanna’s lack of cooperation, and Leanna was getting more and more terrified.
I prayed, and God responded with His precious Word. Psalm 91:1-4 came to my mind.
“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. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will nd refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.”
Leanna needed to feel safe. She needed God to be her refuge, her covering, her shelter. Leanna needed a physical manifestation of God’s security and protection. So as the Lord prompted, I responded.
I climbed onto the bed where she was lying and situated myself so that I became her refuge—her place of safety. I became a tent, a covering, like the protective wings of a mother bird for her.
As I lay partially on top of her, holding her head steady as she buried her face in my hair and clung to me with tight gripped arms and hands, she was able to endure the situation, fear and all. As we lay there, I whispered softly in her ear verse after verse, prayer after prayer. That day, God gave me the privilege of demonstrating to my daughter what it means for God to be her refuge. What began as a horrifying experience for her became a precious and holy moment.
For further study read Exodus 33:18-22. This is a beautiful word picture of God as your refuge. To protect Moses, God placed him in the cleft of a rock and covered him with His hand. Has God ever shielded you from something? Think of times when you have experienced the protection of God.
A prayer for today …
I praise You today, my refuge and strength, my rock in whom I trust. You shield me when I am in danger. You give me a secure dwelling. Thank You for hiding me in Your shadow and for covering me with Your loving hands of protection. Thank You for being my strong tower and my refuge for generations. Amen.
Have a blessed week!
Jacqueline Heider
Director of Women’s Ministry,
Prayer, and Special Needs Ministry