Isaiah 40:11 demonstrates just how tenderhearted the Lord is toward His children: “He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom” (NASV). Why does He carry His lambs in His bosom? Because our weakness melts His heart. He has bound Himself by a covenant to care for each lamb—He will not lose even one.
This scripture characterizes God’s endless, limitless affection toward His children. He would not put us in His bosom if He did not love us dearly. In His bosom there is perfect safety—who can harm us there? What comfort and security that provides!
There is a phrase in Genesis 7:16 that gives us a tremendous sense of safety and comfort. After the animals and Noah’s family entered the ark as God had commanded, “…the Lord shut him in” (NKJ).
Noah lived in an age in which “…the wickedness of man was great in the earth and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5 NKJV). It sounds much like the condition of the earth today. But Noah was shut in away from danger by God’s divine protection.
Although we live in this world, we are not of the world. Consequently we can expect to ride above the dangerous waters that attack the world, just like Noah.
Noah was shut in so that when the earth was flooded with water no harm could reach him. What a place to be! The rising water only served to lift him heavenward, above the danger that threatened others. Outside the ark was destruction, but inside there was peace, safety and provision.
Proverbs 1:33 says, “But all who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm” (NLT). The safety spoken of in this verse includes physical, financial, mental and emotional well-being. In fact, it encompasses every aspect of life! Those who turn their ear to the voice of wisdom will inhabit safety itself; they will be completely safe and secure and be free from the fear of evil. What the world would pay to be free from fear! But it cannot be purchased; it’s free to anyone who will make Jesus the Lord of his or her life.
Psalm 61:2 says, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (KJV). We can never stray so far as to remove ourselves from God’s protective care! His safety reaches to the most remote ends of the earth.
The word overwhelm in the original language actually means “to shroud in darkness, cover over, fail, faint, feebler, collapse.” That sounds like depression coming over a person.
However, when darkness seems to encompass us, when we feel like we could physically collapse, when we feel like we could pull the covers over our head and stay in bed, we must look to the One Who is higher than we are, and He will put us over. When we hide under the shelter of this mighty Rock, we can stand secure in the midst of any storm. All is calm in the cleft of the Rock! We cannot put our trust in anything else!
