Singing in His Shadow

Under His wings I am safely abiding

Though the night deepens and tempests are wild;

Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me,

He has redeemed me and I am His child.

Under His wings, under His wings,

Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings my soul shall abide,

Safely abide forever 

I love the words to this old Gospel song, and it’s pretty old, you probably haven’t heard this much... “Under His Wings.” I often sing it as a prayer in the middle of the night when I am unable to sleep. During dark hours when my mind is tired or my thoughts are scattered or when I'm afraid or anxious, I “pray” the safe, reliable words from a time-honored hymn (I have to sing quietly so as to not wake my husband). And as I sing, one of two things usually happens: my worrisome thoughts and fears will disappear, or I’ll fall asleep!

I mean, it has to quiet your mind and heart when you rehearse the words to a hymn like the one I just sang. I mean, just listen to this second verse. It says: “Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow! How the heart yearningly turns to His rest! Often when earth has no balm for my healing, there I find comfort, and there I am blessed.”

You know… in more than a dozen places in Scripture, God bids us to draw close to Him and find shelter – in most places, it says refuge. Or in His wings, under His wings. Psalm 91:4 says, “He will cover you with his feathers, under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Wow! That God describes Himself so often as a powerful and beautiful bird arching his protective wing over us for refuge, friend that should tell us something. It should tell us that God's care for you is tender, it is compassionate. And it should assure you that we can always find shelter, always find refuge and safety with Him. That’s reason enough to sing, don’t you think.

So do what I do, try it some time. Even if you can’t hold a tune, I challenge you to memorize the words to several favorite hymns and tuck them away in your heart for those late-night restless hours in bed when you cannot sleep and getting up to raid the refrigerator just isn’t doing the trick. Instead, let God’s Word, as well as a Christ-honoring hymn, remind you of His precious and abiding faithfulness. He is your shield; He is your barricade against fear and worry, just like this last verse says. Listen to this: “Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment! There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er; Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me, Resting in Jesus, I’m safe evermore.” Yep, commit something like that to memory, friend and you’ll have a storehouse of truths from these hymns actually reflecting God’s Word that will see you through the roughest of nights. We can sing in the shadow of His wings because His faithfulness never, ever fails. And may God help us all to remember it in the middle of the night! Until next time, this is Joni and Friends.

www.joniandfriends.org  © Joni and Friends