“God, hear my cry;
pay attention to my prayer.
I call to you from the ends of the earth
when my heart is without strength.
Lead me to a rock that is high above me,
for you have been a refuge for me,
a strong tower in the face of the enemy.
I will dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge under the shelter of your wings.”
Psalm 61:1-4
Are you exhausted?
According to a 2016 study, one in three Americans is not getting enough sleep.1 Since last November, our stress has spiked significantly for the first time since nationwide stress levels started being tracked ten years ago.2 We work longer hours, take fewer vacation hours, and retire later on average than people in any other industrialized country.3
When you add the stresses of daily life with the heavy burdens of ministry, family, and work in a sin-warped world, many of us are weary.
As you pray through this psalm this month, linger over the images of who God is. He is your rock high above you. He is a refuge for you. He is a strong tower in the face of the enemy. He gives you refuge in the shelter of his wings.
What does it mean for God to be your rock high above you? Have you ever been hiking in the mountains? Have you spent hours climbing and then looked up and realized that you were still under the shadow of the same peak? Have you stood with your back to the base of a cliff, staring up at the sheer rock splitting the sky above you? That is an echo of God’s strength and protection over you.
What does it mean for God to be your strong tower? Think back to a time you were safe and dry inside as the rain poured down the windows. Imagine the heavy stone wall of a medieval castle, built to be impermeable against fire and arrows and battering rams. With God, you are more secure than the child in his father’s castle, more protected than a kid safe at home during a thunderstorm.
What does it mean for God to give you shelter under his wings? This image describes how a mother bird protects her babies by covering them with her wings. God is not only strong and steadfast; he also cares for us tenderly and personally. Cry out to him for strength this month.
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1 https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html
2 http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/index.aspx
3 http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93364&page=1
