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Psalm 91:1: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty

In this life, there are many times when we can feel alone facing large circumstances. I have had times when I had to face major concerns and I always felt like nobody was there to support me. When my Dad was ill and laying in the ICU unit of Johns Hopkins, I had to come face to face with his mortality, and my fear.

I remember very vividly the power of the Holy Spirit around me, and in me during those days. I had been broken down to raw emotion. Before I made the two hour trek to the hospital that day, I had fallen to my knees and asked the Lord to spare my Dad at least long enough for me to tell him that I love him.

After I made it to the hospital and talked with my Mom, consoling her, I felt the prompting of the Spirit to go and face my Dad and what he looked like and tell him I love him. I made my way to the ICU and pulled the curtain back. I witnessed him with so many tubes, and lines, and his chest rising up and down artificially as life support had taken over. I was reminded of the very chest that I had laid on as a small child where I could hear his heart beating while we watched a football game together. I remembered the security that I felt as a child, and as I watched this, it became clear that he is mortal and that his mortality was being exposed. My Dad was vulnerable for the first time that I had ever seen. I was broken, and emotionally drained. I prayed over him and I heard the voice of God say to me, “ Jeff, I love you.” “ This is your earthly father, whom I have given you for a short time, I am your eternal Father, and I will never pass away from you.” I cannot tell you how much comfort it was to hear that.

God the Father is always there for us. He loves us so much that He will never leave us. He gives us the true security that nobody in this life could ever provide. From that day forward, Psalm 91 verse 1 became not only a reality for me, but the absolute truth that I know without question. I forever have a Father to guide me, sharing my deepest concerns, and my greatest victories. I have someone who will never leave me nor forsake me under any circumstance. He not only allowed me to tell my Dad that I love him, but He went before me in all things. The enormity of His power and love casts a shadow that I walk in all of my days. I have the rest and peace that a boy has when his Dad goes into a fight on his behalf. Think about a predator that threatens a lion cub. The adult lion protects the cubs who are nestled safely behind the strong powerful defender. That cub is not thinking about being eaten at all. The cub knows that nothing will ever happen to it.

The same is true when we focus our relationship with our Father. When we dwell in Him and trust in Him daily, hourly, minute by minute, we rest in His shadow. He goes in front of us and the height and weight of His protection is no match for anything the enemy can throw our way. Not only did the Father restore my Dad, but He gave me a divine strength in spirit. He restored my marriage, my business, and through my hands ran my Dad’s business for the two months it took for my Dad to walk through the threshold of his home. When we dwell in the Fathers protection, we can rest and know that everything is going to work out in our favor. Things get done supernaturally, tasks get done, relationships are effortless, prosperity flows, love takes on new meaning, and the truth of Jesus Christ becomes routed deep inside.

The Father loves us so much that He gave us Jesus, His only son in exchange for a free relationship with Him. Through Jesus we can boldly go in front of the Father and feel the eternal love, and peace of the one true thing in this life which is that we have rest in Him and Him alone. Find yourself dwelling with the Father as often as You can. Jesus paid the price that I may say, “ I love you” and so much more. Discover the love of a Father in a new way. I am alive to share this with you, and my Dad is alive today as my proof.