The Secret to Security -Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” 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. (1-4)

I was baptized in 1985 at Long Leaf Baptist Church by a young associate pastor named Bruce Schmidt. Bruce was headed to the mission field but was serving at Long Leaf to complete his two-year pastoral ministry requirement before his appointment to missionary service. Almost eight years later, I ran into Bruce again at seminary in Memphis, TN. I was in my Personal Evangelism class, listening to a missionary speak about his adventures in Africa, and there was something strangely familiar about him. It wasn’t until I talked to him after class that I remembered he was the staff member who had actually put me under the baptismal waters. Now, 30 years later, Bruce has gone on to be with the Lord, but I still remember his message in that class that day.

He regaled us with stories of African missions, and I remembered being dumbfounded by some of his crazy adventures and close calls with danger. However, his text that day was this exact text from Psalm 91. Bruce emphasized the keywords in these verses of “abiding” and “dwelling.” He made a statement that I have never forgotten, “Safety and security are not dependent upon where you live, but on where you dwell.” In other words, this text teaches that we should abide in the shadow of the Almighty, and He is our shelter. God is our refuge and fortress. Our security is not dependent upon being in a particular country with a safety net; instead, it depends upon being in a right relationship with the God who shelters us under His wings.

Bruce faced many dangers where he “lived” in Africa, but his “dwelling” place was the shadow of the Almighty, so he had nothing to fear. I have served in Africa myself now for 25 years and agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment, “Security is not dependent upon where you live but where you dwell.” Many people think we are crazy for living in Africa and raising our children here. Yet, the U.S. is equally fraught with danger… just danger of another kind. Additionally, every believer will face hardship, suffering, and danger no matter where they live. However, we have a faithful God who either shelters us from the storm or holds our hand and guides us as we suffer through the storm. Regardless, abiding in the shelter of the Most High is the secret to peace and security, no matter what zip code you happen to live in.