Psalm 91:1
We live within the shadow of the Almighty, sheltered by the God who is above all gods.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
Many areas of Arkansas
have experienced the wettest June on record. Even on days when the sun
popped out through the clouds, it seems like at some point in the day,
it rained. So it came as no surprise when we exited the church doors
Sunday and discovered that rain was once again falling. Greg used our
big floral umbrella to safely shuttle us (in groups of 2) into Pizza Hut
for lunch.
A few years ago, our friend Olive died, and her
daughter, Julie, put Olive’s house on the market and held an estate sale
to clear out all of the belongings and “stuff” that Olive had collected
over her 97 years of life. Hanging on one of the door knobs were two
very large umbrellas, and I eagerly purchased both of them. These days,
the trend in umbrellas seems to be toward small, compact gizmos that
fold up and fit into your purse or a small bag. The trouble with these
is that they don’t provide much coverage from the rain – or sun.
“Sun?”
you may ask. Yes, SUN. When I was little, people carried umbrellas as
“parasols” to protect themselves from the heat and harmful rays of the
sun. In recent years, I’ve used one of Olive’s umbrellas as a
“parasol”…especially at summer auctions. I know some people think I’m
crazy…but hey, that was a given! These apparatuses really do work as
“instant shade”!
But Sunday, our umbrella provided a little
protection from the rain. Since there was wind, too, there was not a
100% shield from nature’s elements…but it was better than making a dash
for it uncovered. Since Greg is six feet tall, he towered over us and
carried the umbrella so that it encompassed Grandma E and Timothy…and
then Zola and me.
Think of God’s love and care as a giant
umbrella. He can shelter us from the rain and storms of life…and shield
us from the sun and heat of things like insults and offenses, peer
pressure, worries and concerns, indecisiveness, illness and injury, and
so much more. Yes, there will be occasional “winds” that dampen us.
There will be times when we feel like God’s “umbrella” blew inside out,
as some models are wont to do in strong gusts. But for the most part,
we are sheltered, shaded and protected perfectly.
We keep
“Olive’s umbrellas” in our car. We have smaller umbrellas for
individual use or times when we think we can manage with just a hint of
protection…much like we tend to try to handle “life” on our own from
time to time. But when we know we need “full coverage”, we bring out
the “big guns”! And that is how it should be in our faith walk. We
should always have God with us…His “big umbrella” should always be over
us to shield us from life’s storms - both great and small. We should
“rest well” in His care, knowing that God is always with us – ready to
handle whatever comes our way.
Every time I use “Olive’s
umbrella”, I think of her…and I am thankful for what she meant to me as a
friend and role model. But I am even more grateful for the sheltering
care of God and His “umbrella”. Are you resting in the shadow of God’s
“umbrella protection” and care? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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