Experiencing God's Presence #304

Experiencing God's Presence #304

You hide them in the shelter of your presence.

Psalm 31:20

The promise is given to those who honor God, who come to Him for protection from the dangers of the world. We find ourselves in spiritual battles and physical hardships, and the enemy doesn’t fight fair. Though we aren’t spared from our definition of harm, those who trust God and lean on Him are spared from His definition of harm. He is a God who protects His people.

That’s what this psalm is about, from beginning to end. David felt besieged; his city was under attack, and he fled into God’s Presence for protection. He acknowledged that God alone was his defender, that God had not handed him over to the enemy but had set him in a safe place, that God cared about all his anguish and turmoil, and that God had treated him faithfully. Yet he also acknowledged that he was in distress, miserable, full of grief, and held in contempt by many. It’s a clear statement of two sides of our experience: we’re desperate, but God is trustworthy. Outside of His Presence, we’re vulnerable to the worst kind of harm; but in His Presence, nothing can touch us. He is our place of safety.

That’s why we can go wherever God calls us—into dangerous mission fields, war zones, or even the jungle of our workplace—without anxiety. His Presence makes all of those places safer than our own living room. God doesn’t call us to be reckless, but He does call us to be fearless. No refuge is more secure than He is.

In whatever decisions you face, take fear out of the equation. If you trust God and honor Him, He hides you in the shelter of His Presence. He allows the war, but guards you from defeat. He protects those who are loyal to Him.

Lord, hide me in Your Presence. Protect me in the battles I’m facing. As I honor You with my trust and cast myself on You, please deliver me—not just with survival but with complete victory.