Shadowed and Sheltered

Shadowed and Sheltered
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The shadow of God’s wing is a safe shadow. Creep closer under it, closer yet. Earth has nothing human so gentle as true mother-love; but God’s wing that folds down over you is gentler than even mother-love; and you can never get out from beneath it. It holds you close to the gentle heart of the divine Father. –J.R. Miller

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust: He himself will rescue you from the bird trap, from the destructive plague. He will cover you with his feathers; you will take refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield (Psalm 91:1-4 CSB).

A shadow is the image of something that is real and near. There can be no shadow of a tree in front of you if there is no tree behind you, and the shadow of eagle’s wings will not appear on the ground before you unless there is an eagle flying overhead.

“The shadow of the Almighty” means God’s presence is near. To abide under the shadow of the Almighty is to find our hiding place in God. It is called His secret place because it is only known by those who know Him. His wings over us are love’s sheltering presence. To know the shadow of His presence is to know there is no safer place to be — here alone there is shelter from the storm, and relief from life’s trials.
The covering of His wings is where our hearts become established in trust. The Lord would not tell us to trust in Him with all our hearts if He did not care for us, if He was not always present with us, or if His wings were not expansive enough to fully cover us. His wings cover us in every aspect of life…in the shortest trip or the longest journey, in the smoothest pathway or the most rugged ascent, in waiting times or times of stepping out, in times of certainty or when things are still unknown.

How priceless your faithful love is, God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7 CSB).

Under His wings is where we find our security and protection. It is also our place of defense. Without the shielding of His wings over us we would be defenseless against the attacks of the enemy. It is beneath the shadow of the Lord’s presence that the Psalmist could say, “The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night” (Psalm 121:6 CSB).

God’s wings also signify the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence and ministry to us. His wings represent one of the most endearing symbols of the Holy Spirit found in Scripture…the Dove (John 1:32). It is the Spirit’s outstretched wings that extend God’s tender mercies over us, and it is the Spirit’s covering wings that assure us of His moment-by-moment care. It is because of the gentle hovering of the Holy Spirit’s wings that our hearts find their way to God’s rest. In our times of weariness the Holy Spirit comes to strengthen, refresh, and renew us. It is He who lifts our spirits, takes us to new heights, and causes us to soar, like the eagles, above the storm.

Where does the Spirit lift us? How high do we soar? He does not lift us to the clouds for they are transient and have no sure foundation upon which we can build our faith; He does not lift us to the stars for there is no life there to nourish or sustain us. The Spirit lifts us above all that God has created, and takes us into the presence of God Himself! He lifts us to new revelations of His heart, to new manifestations of His power, and to new discoveries of His ways. He lifts us to fellowship, to God’s glory, and to worship. He lifts us to fullness of joy, to the beauty of holiness, and to the center of all that is good.

Where does today begin for you? It begins in His presence. It begins with Christ—seated with Him (Ephesians 2:6), at the Father’s right hand, in the place of victory and rest, in the place of unity and intimacy. Where does today begin for you? In the very best place of all, close to the One who loves you most of all!

I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself (Exodus 19:4 CSB).

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©2025 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.