by Sharon McCamant
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’
Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)
Have you experienced a time of great anxiety, fear or desperation? Perhaps you have been praying and waiting for an answer and you continue to wait… God invites you to draw close to him and rest.
After many years in an emotionally abusive relationship, it seemed my world was crashing down around me when the abuse became physical and my life was threatened. During those terrifying days, my relationship with the Lord grew stronger and deeper. When absolutely nothing in my world felt safe or secure, God taught me to trust him completely and run to his shelter. Psalm 91:1-2 became my life scripture as I realized that my life is held in the hands of the Most High. That knowledge removed the fear and brought rest to my soul.
An in-depth look at the original Hebrew language reveals four different and unique names of God that communicate important truths about the nature of God and how he relates to us. Most High is El Elyon, emphasizing God’s strength and sovereignty. Almighty is El Shaddai; the word “shaddai” is derived from a related word meaning “mountain”, picturing God as the overpowering majestic mighty one. Lord is YHWH, the most significant name for God in the Old Testament. YHWH occurs 6,823 times in the Old Testament and is especially associated with God’s holiness. It has a two-fold meaning: the active, self-existent one (I AM), and Israel’s redeemer. God is Elohim, meaning strong one, mighty leader, supreme Deity. This is the same name of God used in Genesis 1:1 (In the beginning God). The form of the word Elohim is plural indicating the triunity of the Godhead.
What a divine revelation of the power and sovereignty of our Lord and his desire to be the shelter and protection for his own. Choose to move into His shadow and find rest for your soul!
Holy Father, we desire to fully experience you as our redeemer, the sovereign, majestic, and mighty I AM