He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Ps. 91:1).
Shortly after the Civil War in the United States, two Americans were crossing the Atlantic and heard a third man with an exceedingly rich tenor voice singing on the deck in the moonlight, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." When the music ceased, one of the men turned to the singer and asked if he had been in the Civil War. He said that he had been a Confederate soldier. Then he was asked if he was at such a place on such a night.
"Yes," he said, "and a curious thing happened that night. I was on sentry duty on the edge of a dark wood. The night was cold, and I was lonely and not a little frightened, because the enemy was close. I was homesick and miserable, too. About midnight, when everything was still, I began to feel unusually depressed and frightened, so I began to to sing this hymn softly, 'Jesus, Lover of My Soul.' When I came to the verse, "All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring; cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing' a strange peace come over me, and I was no longer afraid."
"Now," said the first man, "listen to my story. I was a Union soldier with a party of sharpshooters and scouts in those woods that very night. We saw you outlined against the sky. My men focused their rifles on you, when suddenly you sang those words, 'Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing." We listened. I said, 'Boys, put down your rifles. We can't shoot now."
We are not merely to flee to God's secret place, but to abide there. "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me" (Ps. 27 5). In harmony with this promise our prayer may be, "Keep me a the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings" (Ps. 17:8).
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice" (Ps. 63:7).
Shortly after the Civil War in the United States, two Americans were crossing the Atlantic and heard a third man with an exceedingly rich tenor voice singing on the deck in the moonlight, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." When the music ceased, one of the men turned to the singer and asked if he had been in the Civil War. He said that he had been a Confederate soldier. Then he was asked if he was at such a place on such a night.
"Yes," he said, "and a curious thing happened that night. I was on sentry duty on the edge of a dark wood. The night was cold, and I was lonely and not a little frightened, because the enemy was close. I was homesick and miserable, too. About midnight, when everything was still, I began to feel unusually depressed and frightened, so I began to to sing this hymn softly, 'Jesus, Lover of My Soul.' When I came to the verse, "All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring; cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing' a strange peace come over me, and I was no longer afraid."
"Now," said the first man, "listen to my story. I was a Union soldier with a party of sharpshooters and scouts in those woods that very night. We saw you outlined against the sky. My men focused their rifles on you, when suddenly you sang those words, 'Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing." We listened. I said, 'Boys, put down your rifles. We can't shoot now."
We are not merely to flee to God's secret place, but to abide there. "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me" (Ps. 27 5). In harmony with this promise our prayer may be, "Keep me a the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings" (Ps. 17:8).
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice" (Ps. 63:7).
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