Shadow Dwelling

Road bikers know that if you’re out riding and someone is ahead of the pack, you can draft if you get right behind them. They can help pull you a little bit.

The psalmist wrote, “The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade” (Psalm 121:5 NLT).

If you want to stand in the shadow of God, if you want to draft behind God, you need to be close to Him.

We have God’s assurance that He loves us and isn’t going to lose us. He isn’t going to forget about us.

God instructed the Jewish priests to pronounce this blessing over the people of Israel: “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace” (Numbers 6:24–26 NLT).

Then in the New Testament, 1 Peter 1:5 tells us, “And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see” (NLT).

Also, Jude wrote, “I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1 NLT).

Let’s say, for example, that you’ve been able to pay off your mortgage. Don’t keep making payments, because you own your home now. It’s yours, so enjoy it.

In the same way, you are continually kept by the Lord. You are safe. It’s a continuing result of a past action, because Jesus paid for your salvation. He purchased it for you.

Live in it, enjoy it, and let it affect everything that you do.