Sheltered in God’s Salvation

Have you ever been caught walking in a rainstorm without an umbrella? Do we not all begin looking for big trees, doorways, or awnings to stand under to avoid being drenched? I could have used that this past week as I attended our University of Arkansas Razorback football game on a cold and rainy afternoon.

Have you ever been in a tornado or hurricane when finding shelter was a top priority? Far more deadly than a rainstorm, the power in these weather events means we need real shelter: concrete, solid barriers, steel doors, safety.

We need something to overcome the elements of our physical world.

God is our shelter

Scripture portrays God Himself as a shelter to us. Psalm 27:1-2 states, “The Lord is my light and my salvation–whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life–of whom should I be afraid?” In another Psalm we read, “I call to You from the ends of the earth when my heart is without strength. Lead me to a rock that is high above me, for You have been a refuge for me, a strong tower in the face of the enemy.”¹

In Bible Studies for Life, Philip Nation addresses the reality of God being our shelter: “The reason we can trust this light–this salvation, this stronghold–is because it comes to us not as a thing, but as a Person.”² A personal shelter means personal interaction and personal response. God is not cold as stone or silent as steel; He knows our needs and covers us with Himself.

The Psalmist asks, “Whom shall I fear?” and “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The answer to these rhetorical questions is “no one.” God is greater and more powerful than any storm we shall ever face. It is He Himself who shelters us. Every storm of life is subject to His ultimate authority.

Satan cannot overpower our shelter

There is no upheaval Satan can cause that can overpower the shelter God provides, because “the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”³ No calamity of life can separate us from the God who is for us (Romans 8:31-39). No temptation is strong enough to wrestle us from the faithful power of God (1 Corinthians 10:13). No one is able to snatch us out of His hand (John 10:28-30).

God does not need to build a shelter for us; He is a shelter for us.

We deal with all kinds of adversaries

“We deal with adversaries…pretty similar to the ones [King] David faced. Financial problems, family stress, cultural craziness, and even wars around the world all plague us at one time or another. But just like David, we can gain confidence from our salvation, knowing that the enemies in our lives cannot overcome the victory God brings to us.”⁴

God is greater than all of our adversaries. Since He is for us, who can be against us?

Yours for the Great Commission,

Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church

General Editor, Bible Studies for Life

President, Southern Baptist Convention 

 

¹– Psalm 61:2-3 (all scripture HSCB)
²– Bible Studies for Life, Storm Shelter, by Philip Nation
³– 1 John 4:4b
⁴– Bible Studies for Life, Storm Shelter, by Philip Nation