How do you best connect with God?
I personally connect best with Him in nature. I hear Him most clearly on a long walk in the cool of the day, or sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in.
Scripture tells us to take time for Sabbath rest. God does this not for His benefit but so that we can be refreshed and renewed. I am doing just that. So today, while the doctor is out, refreshing and renewing my own spirit spending time with God in nature, my dear friend and fellow author, Peg Bradley, is guest posting about her reflections from observing nature.
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“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart…
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:1-4, 14-16
One of my favorite verses of the bible is in Psalm 91 in which we are told that God covers us with His feathers and we’ll find refuge there.
As I recently watched a mother robin on her nest, I thought about that verse. I noticed how she covered her unhatched eggs with her wings. While she sat, her eyes darted in all directions looking for possible predators.
I watched as both mother and father robin chased away black birds when they came too close to the nest.
As I sat watching them from my swing, they kept an eye on me too.
After the eggs hatched, the baby birds were cared for until they were taught how to take care of themselves.
I imagined that this is what God is doing when we trust Him. If we allow Him to cover us with His feathers, He will keep a watchful eye for predators. He will chase away any enemy on our behalf. Once we have “hatched,” He will teach us what we need to know in order to battle the enemy ourselves.
He will always be there if we need Him, but He wants us to know how to do battle. When we falter, we’ll always be able to run back to Him, to be covered with His feathers and to find refuge until we are strong again.
The longer we’re in a relationship with God, the more He’ll teach us, the stronger we’ll be, and the more equipped we’ll be to teach others.
We’d love for you to share a time, in the comments below, when you felt God’s protection and safety.
Under His Wing,
Peg Bradley
(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)
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There is hope.
Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression and the companion Hope Prevails Bible Study help the reader understand how depression comes to be, recover their joy, reclaim their peace, and re-establish their true identity, while knowing their worth, remembering their secure destiny, and being confident that nothing separates them from God’s love.
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I, too, find rest and beauty in nature. God has created a beautiful world and we can glean many lessons from observing, just like you did with the mother bird. I’m so thankful God is always with us, caring and protecting. Enjoyed this post by Peg! Blessings to you! I’m your neighbor at #InspireMeMonday.
Gayl, isn’t it wonderful that God gave us such a beautiful world to enjoy, but also to learn from and rest in? He’s covered all the bases.
Beautifully written! I remember, a number of times I have read Psalm 91 whenever i needed to feel secured in Him and away from all storms of life. I loved the mother bird’s illustration. Thanks Peg for sharing this message with us. May God bless you! Thanks Dr. Michelle! I am stopping by from # Purposeful faith link up. .
Psalm 91 is a wonderful passage to remember when we’re stuck in one of life’s storms and need to feel secure. Glad you visited with us today! Hope you were blessed!
You had me at ‘Robin’ ;). I’ve spent the last week wandering around south Texas looking for birds to photograph. I am struck over and over by the way that birds care for their babies–so I really love the verse from Psalm 91!
It’s so easy to think that we understand what rest is– and that makes it so very easy to dismiss from our lives. There is an element of rest that is what we expect, but I think God has His ideas for what rest looks like and how deeply it benefits so much more than our body. He wants rest to restore our spirit.
I also enjoy connecting with God in nature. I’ve learned so much from watching the birds, particularly about God’s faithfulness. Visiting from #livefreethursday
I’m about to go and spend the next few weeks in the mountains with nature very close to me. I’m looking forward to the walks and spending time with God – as well as getting some writing done undisturbed.
I love Michelle’s comment about reading Psalm 91. One of my kids (adult teen) has been struggling with night terrors lately. That was the first thing I read to her. It’s what my mom shared with me when I was young as well. God’s Word (YES to hiding away with Him in nature!) is a beautiful place to nestle.
Psalm 91 is truly powerful and learning how it relates to nature makes it also awesome. I also connect with God in nature and I will be looking out for mother and baby birds on my next excursion.
I find peace and comfort in nature, too. I’d rather be outside sitting on my patio than just about any place.
Oh I love Psalm 91! We have known Father’s covering traveling by car around the country in ministry and we have known that covering right here at home dealing with the daily stresses and challenges of life. Thank you Peg for sharing this and being an awesome encourager for me. Dr. Michelle, we too love nature, the scenery and especially the mountains and the Lord ministers to us greatly in those places because we take time to focus upon Him.
Karen,
Psalm 91 is such an encouragement to remind us just how much the Father loves us and provides for us.I’m thankful for your testimony of God’s faithfulness. Because of Him, #HopePrevails