God's Shade....

"The Lord Himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade."
~Psalm 121:5

    I used to picture God's "protective shade" in the desert, as a humongous sequoia. However, after standing in the actual Negev Desert-
I quickly realized I was sorely mistaken. 

Oh, there was shade, but not exactly a comforting amount of it....

and certainly not what I had pictured. 

THIS is a broom tree.

I took this picture as I was blown away by the small size of it and the large lesson in it.

God used broom trees in the Bible as a symbol of renewal and for shade.

This is the "shade" King David writes about. 

Remember the story of Elijah?

(I didn't either)

When Elijah arrived at the broom tree- he was "exhausted, depressed and ready to die"

and that is when and where God renewed him....under a broom tree.

For times like this in our lives...God Himself, had Isaiah write,

 "those who hope in The Lord will renew their strength." ~Isaiah 40:31

you down....or that might just be circumstances?

If you find yourself in "that desert" today.

Some days, shade feels more necessary than others.

August in Texas...people are cranky...fuses are short...judgement is high...for some it feels like the sun is literally smothering you....

Emotionally melting....

Where you can't imagine one more minute.....

God is right there.

As close as the very breath you just took.

He promises to, "stand beside you as your protective shade" 

I sat under the above broom tree 

Would it surprise you to know that in the midst of rocks and rocks for miles and miles....

God was able to give me just enough shade to continue the hike. 

More importantly that day, I learned....that God has, God does and God will continue, to give us just enough shade.

For the moment.

For the day. 

It may not look like much from afar, but when you recognize it and "sit under it,"

you will know...it is Him.

God might be putting a broom tree in your path today...and it might look different than expected.

We are to be the shade for one another. 

Don't know what that looks like? You might be surprised to know- it looks smaller than you think. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
just as in fact you are doing." ~Thessalonians 5:11

God, Thank You for providing exactly the amount of shade we need.

In His Dust, 
DCC