The winds of life can come fierce and strong. Winds of disappointment. Winds of failure. Winds of frustration and sickness and fear and rejection. Whatever the problem, it demands our focus. And the more we focus on it, the more we’re carried away by it—carried away to anxiety, incessant worry, loneliness, and sadness.
But there is a place we can run to for refuge from the fierce winds of life—the shadow of God’s wings.
“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul takes refuge in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge,
Until destruction passes by.
I will cry to God Most High,
To God who accomplishes all things for me.
He will send from heaven and save me…” (Psalm 57:1-3 NASB).
I love this imagery so much that I’ve colored “shadow of His wings” and “shelter of His wings” everywhere it appears in the Psalms. Oh, and this one too from Psalm 91: “For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper, and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.”
When the winds of life come, I like to picture myself snuggled up behind a wide, strong, majestic eagle’s wing—protected, out of harm’s way. In the shadow of His wings, I know I’m not alone. I’m tended to, cared for, nurtured, and loved. In the shadow of His wings, the wind can rage, but my focus is on the One who is able to rebuke the wind and make it calm (Mark 4:39).
Are the winds raging in your life? Crawl up and plant yourself in the shadow of His wings. You’ll find refuge there…and so much more.
Heavenly Father, David said, “Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings,” and that’s my prayer right now. In fact, Father, I don’t want to come only when the winds are raging. Help me to dwell in the shadow of Your wings each and every day, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
