My Shelter

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2).

In this one verse David uses eight different Hebrew words to describe God’s protection over him. The picture is one of being guarded on every side by God’s power. Why then are we so easily overcome by fear and anxiety?

When foes surround us, He is our deliverer.

When enemies attack us, we are safe in God’s fortress.

When the world seems to be falling apart, we stand securely on His rock.

When Satan throws his darts at us, we are shielded by God’s Word.

When guilt and shame threaten us, we are guarded by His salvation.

When we feel powerless, He is our stronghold.

Our security comes not from our own strength or abilities, but from the One who holds us in the palm of His hand. To be dominated by fear is to disbelieve His promises and His power. He is “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15), so He is able to do whatever He pleases. He is always watching— “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love” (Psalm 33:18), so nothing catches Him by surprise. He delights to do good— “The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

There are so many promises in Scripture that we can cling to if we will remember when the storms come. (I’m preaching to myself first and foremost.) We need frequent reminders to “taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:8).

Lord, I believe—help my unbelief! “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but [I will] trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:6).

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:4).

 © 2021 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer. 

A Prayer Refresher

I’ve read several things recently on the subject of prayer in general, and I’ve been thinking about the Lord’s Prayer in particular. I don’t come from a tradition that recites the Lord’s Prayer on a regular basis, so I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about it. I’ve also been cautious because there are other traditions that use the Lord’s Prayer in rote repetition that can quickly lose all meaning. However, since these words came from Jesus Himself, perhaps they are worthy of a little extra attention.

It hadn’t really occurred to me before that there are just three main petitions in the prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts… And lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:11-13 ESV). On the prayer for our daily bread, C.S. Lewis wrote,

“It means, doesn’t it, all we need for the day—‘things requisite and necessary as well for the body as for the soul.’ I should hate to make this clause ‘purely religious’ by thinking of ‘spiritual’ needs alone” (Letters to Malcolm Chiefly on Prayer, 27).

While we can drift to one extreme or the other, I think there is a greater tendency to focus on physical needs rather than spiritual needs. I was struck by the fact that Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). In a counterintuitive way, praying for our daily bread is a prayer for more of Jesus. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 6:6). He is sufficient for all our deepest needs, though we may not always think so. I am challenged to pray that I would find my fulfillment in Him alone.

Thinking about the request for forgiveness, again the answer is found in the person of Christ. Because of His death and resurrection, the Old Testament sacrificial system was no longer needed. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20). Following the Sermon on the Mount, we get this brief response, “The crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). No doubt this prayer for forgiveness without corresponding sacrifices must have raised a few eyebrows. I am thankful that forgiveness is just a prayer away!

The third petition, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” I suspect is the least used part of the Lord’s Prayer, though it should be significant to us. We all need protection from temptation. Paul said, “Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). I’ve learned from many falls that it is far easier and more effective to pray for protection from temptation than to pray for deliverance once temptation has already appeared. I have no idea how many times God has diverted me away from temptation—probably far more than I could even imagine. The frequent appeal for protection serves to draw my attention back to Christ and has increased my dependence on His strength in my weakness.

Although the Lord’s Prayer is so named because it was spoken by Jesus, the fact is that every part of it points us back to our Lord and Savior through whom we receive the Bread of Life, forgiveness of the guilt of sin, and deliverance from the power of sin. Apart from Him they are just empty words.

“Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

© 2017 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. 

Preserve, Protect and Defend

I suppose it is due to election season that I have had the presidential oath of office running through my mind lately. It says in part “I… will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Leaving politics aside, those are interesting verbs to hang your hat on. While a person may attempt to do those things to the best of their ability, God can and will preserve, protect, and defend His people according to His perfect will and ability. The Psalms in particular highlight these roles of God.

• Psalm 37:28- “For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.”
• Psalm 145:20- “The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.”
• Psalm 68:5- “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation.”
• Psalm 91:14- “Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My name.”
• Psalm 4:8- “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

That is much more encouraging than any human oath could ever be. His protection may not look quite like we may think, but it will always be the best way.

God’s authority and ability can also guide the way we pray. A couple verses have been part of my prayers recently:

• Psalm 119:133- “Keep steady my steps according to Your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”
• Psalm 141:3- “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”

It has been my experience that praying for God’s protection from temptation is far more effective than praying for deliverance once temptation is at the door. It’s a bit like keeping a car on the road rather than trying to correct once you’re already off the road. There are no promises of protection for those who willfully turn away from God’s guidance.

I’m reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6, and it seems to me that a large part of the trusting in, leaning on, and acknowledging the Lord is an ongoing awareness of how desperately we need Him to preserve, protect, and defend us. We can so quickly turn away from His paths when we trust in our own strength and knowledge. Going back to the driving metaphor, an intoxicated driver doesn’t even realize how badly he is driving. He thinks he is fine. God watches us weaving back and forth and He waits for us to realize how far off the road we’ve gotten into temptation and sin.

This awareness has definitely changed the way I have been praying in the past year or so, and I’m sure will continue to do so. Since God can do far more than we ask or imagine, it’s time to start asking and imagining bigger. He is more than willing to preserve, protect, and defend those who seek Him earnestly.

© 2016 Dawn Rutan.