November 23, 2018

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
(Psalm 91:1-2 ESV)

Psalm 91 starts with this assurance. Whoever dwells under shelter of the Most High God shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. The person who writes the Psalm further declares that through thick and thin, their God is their refuge and their fortress in whom they can trust.

About 2 months ago, I visited Ewa and Andrew Bogucki in their home. Andrew had just been put into palliative care at Princess Margaret Hospital. Yet he was doing so well that he was sent home. He was based at home and was in the process of being transferred from palliative care at Princess Margaret to palliative care at Credit Valley Hospital.

During this visit, I gave Andrew and Ewa some “homework”. I read the whole of Psalm 91 and prayed with them that God would look after them in the next little while. I asked them to read through Psalm 91 daily as they went into a period on uncertainty.

Andrew and Ewa did their “homework”. Psalm 91 became a part of their life. On a few occasions, I would call Ewa to see how Andrew was doing. He was too weak to come to the phone. I would read the first 2 verses and the last 3 verses of Psalm 91 to Ewa on the phone and asked her to read these verses to Andrew in Polish after the phone call.

Last Monday, November 19, Andrew went home to be with his Lord. He passed away at 12 noon. That morning, Ewa tells me that before he left to go home, he asked Ewa to read the last 3 verses of the Psalm 4 times.

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honour him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91: 14-16 ESV)