Take Cover!
Monday (October 27)
Take Cover!
Psalm 31:20
In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
Crazy as it sounds, I still remember being a five-year-old at Wiley International School, praying quietly under my breath before lunch in the cafeteria, when a teacher came over, red-faced, and told me I couldn’t do that there. Praying, even quietly, wasn’t allowed. Well, I didn’t know any differently. I was still learning how to read my first book; I had no idea about a First Amendment. But when my dad found out, he had a talk with the principal and the principal, who was also a Christian, apologized vehemently for the actions of that teacher. But the crazy thing is that this took place in 1991, not 2025. That was before “In God We Trust” started becoming a byword in society at large. And although I wouldn’t dare call that rebuke from my angry teacher persecution in the fuller sense of the word, it was my first ever encounter with the ‘strife of tongues’ leveled against simple godliness, and I’ve never forgotten it.
But let’s talk about real persecution for a moment. Remember Daniel? He got thrown into a den of lions just for praying in the silence of his bedroom. Remember Elijah? He got hunted down by a wicked queen just for winning a theological battle against false prophets. Remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? They were thrown into a furnace for refusing to bow their knee in worship to a mortal man. Ah, but God was with Daniel in the lion’s den and God was with Elijah in the wilderness and God was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the heat of that flame. Although the apostle Paul made the discomforting promise in 2 Timothy 3:12 that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” thankfully Scriptures like Psalm 31:20 provide a spiritual salve during those difficult times.
Enemies might rob us and mock us and imprison us. They might burn Bibles and close churches and ostracize families. But they can’t take us from the cover of God’s presence! Nor can they penetrate the shelter of Christ’s love! So, rest in the presence of your LORD today, friend. The enemy is powerless there.