Daily Devotional with Dr. Duane Brooks
April 21, 2017
Psalm 91:1-2
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.”
New International Version (NIV)
                 When my family moved to Germany, our elementary school took us on a field trip to Heidelberg Castle.  Over the years my brothers and I grew up running and climbing through these castles on family vacations.  So when Chase and I were en route to Africa with friends some years ago, we stopped in Germany for a night and went to Heidelberg.  I awakened early the next morning and jogged down to the castle.  After forty years the old castle looked as I remembered it.  It was big and strong, seemingly impregnable.    Someone lived there once upon a time.  Perhaps someone still does!

                In our security-conscious world, we remember the words of the Psalmist today.  I will memorize this Psalm this summer as part of our fighter verses memorization (one passage per week for five years).  Ancient Kings like David and his son Solomon built large palaces to protect themselves from invasions.  Often they were built on top of large hills or mountains which made them harder to attack.  What if God is our ultimate and only Guarantor of safety?  What if we lived in the shelter of the Most High who dwells in Heaven and also in his people?  If we made him our shelter, we could rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

                Even the massive fortresses designed to protect can fall into disrepair.  One of the turrets of the Heidelberg castle has slumped off to the side.  Security systems can fail.  Walls can be traversed.  God is the one sure and secure refuge to whom we refugees may  run.  With Luther, on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we say, "A mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.  Our Helper, he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing."  We may live our lives in God's shelter, if we will.  Or we may go it alone.  That won't work well, will it?  Live in God's shelter and shadow today.
Pray with me:  
Father, let us dwell in the shelter of You, our Most High God, so that we may rest in your shadow, Almighty God.  Be our refuge and our fortress today.  You have made us for yourself.  No wonder we are restless until we rest in you.  Help us so to trust in you that we may also rest in you.  In Jesus’ name we ask.  Amen.
I want to invite you to join me in memorizing 52 passages this year from the 2017 set of Fighter Verses.  You can find the Fighter Verses App at the App Store on your phones or via this link  http://fighterverses.com/the-verses/fighter-verses/. As we study the Bible this year, let's look at each text and learn what it says about God. 
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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