12 February 2008 Devotion for Today “The Rock that Is Higher” Psalm 61:2-4

Several years ago I was vacationing with my family in Austria, somewhere close to the Italian border. We had visited a castle and watched a falconing demonstration as the jagged rocky cliffs towered above us. These beautiful creatures-the falcons-soared to great heights, then tucked in their wings and came swooping down fast as lightening, taking something that the falconer was throwing into the air for them. It was food, a bit of reward for successfully obeying his command. Up again the falcon spread his wings and soared high, again swooping down to the ground- this time lighting on the falconer’s glove. Just then, a medieval military demonstration in another part of the castle fired off a thunderous cannon. Its ear-splitting sound startled all of us, including the bird resting on the falconer’s hand. The falcon flinched and spread his wings. He flapped them until he reached a high pinnacle, waiting there until he felt secure enough to fly back down again.

The falconer waited patiently for a few moments, and then threw a piece of meat into the air once again. The falcon caught it in his great talons before it ever hit the ground.

As I recall that scene in my mind, I am reminded of this Scripture which has helped me whenever the startling, unsettling presence of fear tries to get hold of my life.

“Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.” (Psalm 61:2-4)

Fear is a great trap of the Enemy. What he doesn’t have the ability to do, he will make us think that he does and keeps us in bondage to his threats. We imagine all sorts of scenarios that keep us immobilized and paralyzed, not going forward with our plans to follow what we know what God wants us to do because we are afraid. Procrastination is usually brought about, not by laziness, but by the fear of not doing something right. Intimidation is the false fear of thinking that we must cower beneath the perceived threats of others. Whenever we feel fearful or ill-at-ease, we don’t have to allow that uneasiness to control our lives. God is that Rock that is higher than we are, and when we fly to Him, we not only feel safe and secure, perched up there with Him, but we see things from a whole new perspective. Like the mother bird keeping her brood of hatchlings safe from the storm, God shelters us beneath His wings of love.

There is a Rock that is higher than you. Perhaps you feel uneasy today. You may not even know the reason for it, but you do know now how to get away from it and find security once again. Flee to that rock today!

Have a blessed day!