Covered Parking

 Carp's Daily Tidbits

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2

Date: Friday, February 20, 2015

Today's Title: Covered Parking 

Today's Scripture: Psalm 91:1-2

Searching for an apartment complex in which to live proved to be both an enjoyable and a somewhat daunting task.  After spending five years in the men’s’ dorm at Southwestern Seminary, I was ready to have a place of my own with just a little more room to maneuver than my existing arrangement.  I began flipping through the newspapers, real estate magazines, and catalogs just to see what the area offered.  I got in my car and drover around town trying to decide what areas I liked and disliked.

Finally, I settled on an area of town and I began earnestly looking for apartments that had the features I desired within the price range I could afford.  Someone told me about several sites on the Internet that would prove beneficial so I began surfing the web, searching for that perfect apartment.  After several weeks of looking through ads, visiting apartment complexes, and listening to several PR pitches, I came across the complex where I currently live.

The location was perfect, the apartment had all the things I was searching for and the price was right on target.  In addition to all the things I was looking for in a home, the complex had one other feature which really peaked my interest.  Over 95% of the parking spaces in the complex were covered and the price of this parking was included in my monthly rent.  Most other complexes provided covered parking at an additional charge but this complex didn't charge extra for it and that was the deciding factor.

Now, I didn't have to worry about my car during bad weather.  The hailstorms here in Fort Worth did no damage to my car. In fact, no hail hit the car because it was safely parked underneath the shelter.  In bad weather, the car was safe. When it rained, the car didn't get wet. When it was windy, there was very little danger of something falling and hitting my car, and during the summer months the car remained cool because the sun’s rays didn't penetrate the covered area.  As long as the car remained underneath the shelter, it was safe and protected.  This was a great comfort to me and gave me one less thing to worry about.

Did you know that the Bible speaks very clearly about God providing shelter for those who trust Him?  In fact, the Scriptures state categorically that God, Himself, serves to shelter all those who know Him as their Heavenly Father and who have placed their hope and their trust in Him.  Psalm 91:1-2 reminds us of this wonderful truth, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Notice the words the psalmist uses to describe God.  His is a shelter, He is a shadow, He is a refuge, and He is a fortress.  The shelter and the shadow provide rest and safety from the elements of heat, wind, rain, and snow.  To hide or rest in a shadow means that you are hiding or resting in the shadow of something that is bigger and stronger than you are.  Not only is there rest in the shadow, there is also peace and contentment.

But God is also a refuge and a fortress.  The refuge is a place you go to escape your enemies and in the Christian life we have our share.  The enemies of doubt, fear, worry, anxiety, as well as all forms of temptation and harm have no power over those who take refuge in the Lord.  Moreover, God is a fortress, an impenetrable stronghold that safely and securely protects all those who place their trust in Him. There is, however, a part that we play in this relationship.  If we are to enjoy the peace and cool of the shadow, if we are to escape from our enemies and experience the safety of the refuge and the fortress, we must put ourselves in God’s hands. 

The psalmist says that only “he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High” can experience these things.  Dwelling means staying put, setting down roots, to make a permanent residence.  What a wonderful image for us and what a powerful lesson.  When we take God seriously, when we make Him our dwelling place, when we let Him become our protection, our provision, and our sustenance, then we will enjoy all the benefits of covered parking.  Is your life safely and securely parked under the covered parking of God’s protective mercy and grace?