Chaos Can't Have Me

You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; Of the plague that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that devastates at noon. A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But it shall not approach you. Psalm 91:5-7

We all face levels of chaos every day in this present world, but few find the way to security that comes from “On High.” I have seen first-hand as a Hospital Chaplain the sheer emotional and physical exhaustion among nurses and medical professionals as they battle for the lives of those infected with Covid-19. The greater battle before us is to keep dwelling in God’s presence so that the chaos does not invade our families, our churches, and ourselves. The enemy will come like a flood of chaos, but we don’t have to allow it to enter.

In Psalm 91, the Psalmist was writing in the context of a devasting plague in Israel. The writer speaks of taking refuge in God in the midst of chaos, of dwelling in the shelter of God Most High, and resting in the shadow of the Almighty. The Psalmist uses a metaphor of a baby bird under the wings of a mother hen or bird to convey a sense of safety and protection. He envisions a wall of protection that shields the believer from turmoil for the one who makes the Lord his refuge. The benefits that follow include angelic protection, greater spiritual authority, and overcoming demonic strongholds. The outcome consists of possessing a supernatural security from “On High” and is evidenced by honor, long life, and deliverance.

This path of security is not so easily found in a world that is engulfed in anxiety and fear. This pathway is only accessed by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your refuge. But does anyone know how to do that today? Jesus Christ shows us the way, as evidenced by his walk, his life of prayer, and continual dependency upon his Father, even in the face of death on a cross. When Jesus Christ rose from dead, chaos was defeated and has no place in him, and no place in us.

We too can say no to chaos and refuse to allow it to gain entrance into our mind, our life, our family, and churches. But it won’t just happen. It requires the daily effort of making the Lord your refuge and the Most High your dwelling place. The beginning point of this ancient path is revealed in one sentence, “Because he has loved me.” It is the daily practice of learning to love God and to be loved by him.

Prayer

Father, forgive me for neglecting the most important step in finding security from “On High” by simply loving you. I do love you and want to learn how to love you with my whole being, with all of my mind, my heart, and my strength. Teach me how to love you and how to make you my refuge every day. You are my refuge and my shield and wall. I believe that you will protect me in all my ways and lift me up, so that I can walk in authority over the chaos of this world. I speak to the chaos and declare that it will not approach my house. For I have seen the destruction of chaos at the cross of Christ, and I will continue to look on in the continued victory over the darkness, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.