Hold His Gaze Week Five
The Lord is my shade.
“For the Lord God is my shade.” Psalm 121:5
This past summer during a family trip to Disneyland, I found myself sick in the infirmary. Before we even made it to the park from our hotel, the heat was already getting to me. Standing in the long lines out in the sun began to take its toil and after lunch, I felt completely out of sorts and low on energy. I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it as I headed to the infirmary in a zombie-like state. The nurse on duty took one look at me and knew I was suffering from heat exhaustion. She checked my vitals to make sure I was okay and let me stay in the air condition room to rest. Without shade to try to help regulate my body temperature and enough fluids to combat the effects of the heat, I became weak, sick, and with a body that wanted to shut down. Knowing the battle I had ahead of me, with the last bit of energy I could muster up, I sent my friends a SOS prayer request. With the proper care and the power of prayer, I felt better by dinner time and enjoyed the rest of the trip with my family.
Like the unbearable high temperature from the sun, life on this earth is full of its own type of heat sucking our spirit dry. The enemy enjoys turning the heat on us in a desperate attempt to squeeze every ounce of peace, joy, love, and hope right out of us. We can walk around in a zombie-like state with spiritual exhaustion, desperate for a drink from the well that never runs out, only to find ourselves roaming aimlessly in a dehydrated delusional state leading us further away from our one true Source.
Psalm 121:5 gives us the beautiful imagery of the Lord as our personal shade, helping us withstand the flames of this world. The word shade used in this verse provides us with insight into the Lord’s character. He is our protection, rest, comfort, and refreshment. Similar to the shade being a sanctuary away from heat, the Lord is our sanctuary away from it all.
I might have been able to withstand the summer heat if I had been intentional in drinking cold water and staying in the shade when it was available. We have to do the same with the Lord in order to arm our heart and spirit with protection from the world. God’s Word is just as necessary as water and shade. Time with the Lord and in Scripture keeps our spirit hydrated, regulated, and provides us with great solace. Matthew Henry says Psalm 121:5 reminds us, “when difficulties and dangers are greatest, may we comfort ourselves in the Lord.”
The Lord is always near with protection and care. What a gift to be praised!
Hold His gaze, sweet friends.
Breath prayer: Breathe in: The Lord Breathe out: is my shade
Further reading: Psalm 36:7 (Wednesday) / Isaiah 25:4 (Friday)
Journal Reflection: Ponder and reflect on how grateful you are that the Lord is your personal shade.
