As the world is on a lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and as the community of faith cannot get together in a church building for corporate worship due to stay at home orders, online worship services and at-home prayer meetings have become highly popular.
During this time of death and excruciating pain and suffering, I can’t recall how many times I have heard a quote from Psalm 91 both during online worship services and in the news. Out of curiosity, I sat down and studied the psalm in depth and discovered the truth of God about divine guardianship. The central truth about Psalm 91 is the protection of God is the only safe and impregnable fortress.
I don’t watch TV often and I get most of my news from a few websites that I visit on a regular basis. I usually visit Le Nouvelliste website to keep track with news back home in Haiti and WAND website for local news here in Decatur, Illinois.
While I was surfing the internet, I came across a video interview on CNN about Dr. Julie John who is an intensive care doctor. Dr. John caught the coronavirus while taking care of people with the virus and was in critical condition. When she started to feel the symptoms and felt that she couldn’t breathe, she dropped to the floor of her house with her head on the ground and prayed before calling 911.
What surprised me was the content of Dr. John’s prayer. She said, “I got down on my knees and prayed to God to take me under His wings and heal me.” Dr. John’s prayer was a direct quote from Psalm 91:4. It says, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge” (TNIV). Furthermore, she said, “I asked God for time.” She wanted five more minutes to make a goodbye video to leave behind for her children in case she did not make it. Today, Dr. John is recovering from the virus and is in self-quarantine.
God’s divine protection is enough for us whether Satan attacks us openly and violently or by more secret means. God is faithful and never goes away from us in times of hardship. He is our shield that will always come between us and our enemies to protect us against their attacks.
God does not promise us a life of ease and luxury, but deliverance from our tribulations. Psalm 91:15 says, “They will call on me, and I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will deliver them and honor them” (TNIV).
If you are under God’s protection, you are in a safe place and a secure position where “no weapon forged against you will prevail” (Isaiah 54:17). If God is your guardian, you should rest in peace under his shadow. God does not assign one solitary angel to protect you, but the whole army of heaven. The psalmist said, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11, TNIV).
The psalmist said those who “dwell in the secret place of the most High” (Psalm 91:1, TNIV) experience to a great extent his protection. The Haitian people would say “pa gen wout pa bwa” meaning there is no other recourse, there is no other hiding-place. God is the only safe and impregnable fortress.
Evens Sanon
President, Just 4 Them
Great job, Evens!
The news channels can be a source of hype – sometimes it’s hard to understand just what we’re supposed to be doing. There are masks, distancing, washing hands, vaccines on the way and a political power struggle as to who is “boss”. It’s comforting and calming to know that God is in control. We just have to place our trust in him. Thank you for sharing these reminders.