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The Shade of The Almighty
October 5, 2001
"It will be a shelter and a shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain." Isaiah 4:6 (NIV)
The grass of the field, which had once been green and lush, had withered due to weeks without rain. As our group walked across it, the brown and tan blades crunched under our feet, making a sound something like marching soldiers out on maneuvers.
It was hot that day—over ninety degrees Fahrenheit. Everyone was carrying a bottle of cold water. Everyone, that is, but my family—Amy, Kylie, and me.
And then we saw it. It wasn't much, really, but we were sure glad it was there.
It was a small patch of shade, which was provided by a small tree. We walked over to the shade and huddled there as we cooled off and summoned the energy needed for the rest of our journey.
Just like the tree in the middle of the parched field, God gives us shade, those cool places in our day that let us catch our breath. The shade might be in the form of a coworker or spouse who pays you a compliment. Or it might be an unusually good day with a typically difficult child. Or it might be a funny comic strip just when you need a good laugh.
God loves you more than you will ever know. He knows you need a break. Let him help you to slow down and rest in his cooling shadow.
— Matt Donnelly, for the ChristianityToday.com staff
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