Psalm 9:7-10
God holds the high center, he sees and sets the world's mess right. He decides what is right for us earthlings, gives people their just deserts.
God's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Think about a really stressful time in your life… where was your sanctuary? Where did you go to “let your hair down” and relax… what gave you comfort? When I was a little girl, my “sanctuary” was a mossy creek bank across the road from my grandparents’ farm. I still can “channel” the sound of the wind in the pines and feel the softness of that damp moss beneath me… and instantly, I feel calmer. If you are like me, you have dreamed of falling into your cozy bed and getting a good long nap or a night’s rest. Last Christmas Eve, when I was at my wits’ end with the care of my grandmother in the Emergency Room, I even found refuge in the hospital chapel. In that moment, God’s “house” was where I discovered a “safe-house” for my battered nerves!
Surely you have your own list of sanctuaries… places where you feel you can relax during bad times… where you are never sorry you knocked. But what if none of those physical refuges is available? What are you supposed to do then?
As wonderful and comforting as physical safe havens can be, I believe that we truly arrive as Christians when we can “center” ourselves in God any place… at any time. When we stop and focus on Him, we see that He is at work setting the world’s mess right, no matter where we are. I was talking with a friend recently and commented that I had a running joke with someone else that… “If God can fix this, He can fix anything.” My friend quickly retorted… “God CAN fix anything!” And he’s exactly right… but often we have not given Him room to do this!
Today, I want you to take a deep breath… or two or three. Relax and open your heart to God. Allow Him to come in and handle the messes of your day and give you sanctuary, wherever you may be. Learn to find refuge in Him while sitting in traffic, handling the latest crisis of the moment, or struggling with the worries of your day. Nothing is too big for God to handle… and there is no safer place than in His arms. When was the last time you knocked at His “safe-house?” Isn’t this a good time to visit?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label refuge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label refuge. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 11, 2011
Psalm 91:1-4
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, say this: "GOD, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!"
That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you—under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My mother recently wrote a blog post about her memories of tornadoes in Arkansas. Much of my early childhood was spent in a storm cellar. This was in the days before “Five-live Dopplar,” satellite imagery, and more. Our “menfolk” would stand on the porch and “watch the clouds”… and as Mother pointed out, more than once they literally dove into the cellar for cover as a storm approached.
However, most nights we children would sit in the cellar with all of the women from the neighborhood and listen as they talked about the day’s events. When one of us needed a bathroom break, a man would be summoned from the porch. We were wrapped in a quilt and carried into the house, then returned to the cellar. I can still remember the snug safety of that quilt “cocoon” – wrapped tightly and held in the arms of my dad, my then-high-school-aged cousin Jim, or someone else I trusted to protect me.
As an adult, when I read this passage, I am reminded of the snug safety of those summer-time quilts and the arms of a loved one wrapped around me. I am reminded of how safe I felt in the shadow of pine trees that lined a creek bed across the road from my paternal grandparents’ farmhouse… how I took refuge there often on the soft mossy bank and listened to the soothing “whisper” of the wind in the pines. And I am comforted to think that God’s protection of me is much the same… loving, strong – yet as gentle and soothing as the whisper of that wind – safe and protective. He truly does fend off all harm.
What about you? Are you trusting God today? I will admit that sometimes fear and insecurity sneak in, and I am momentarily caught off-guard. The devil loves to try to steal my peace and try to fill me with lies and worries. But I’m not having it… and neither should you. We “dwell in the shelter of the Most High” and “rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Let that soak in… truly think about how powerful this is! God is our refuge and fortress… we trust Him (or we should!)… and in His arms – no matter what comes our way - we are perfectly safe. Do you feel His presence and comfort? Are you snug and comfortable in the “quilt” of His love and protection? Won’t you allow Him to handle your cares and worries… and rest in His peace?
©2011 Debbie Robus
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, say this: "GOD, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!"
That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you—under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My mother recently wrote a blog post about her memories of tornadoes in Arkansas. Much of my early childhood was spent in a storm cellar. This was in the days before “Five-live Dopplar,” satellite imagery, and more. Our “menfolk” would stand on the porch and “watch the clouds”… and as Mother pointed out, more than once they literally dove into the cellar for cover as a storm approached.
However, most nights we children would sit in the cellar with all of the women from the neighborhood and listen as they talked about the day’s events. When one of us needed a bathroom break, a man would be summoned from the porch. We were wrapped in a quilt and carried into the house, then returned to the cellar. I can still remember the snug safety of that quilt “cocoon” – wrapped tightly and held in the arms of my dad, my then-high-school-aged cousin Jim, or someone else I trusted to protect me.
As an adult, when I read this passage, I am reminded of the snug safety of those summer-time quilts and the arms of a loved one wrapped around me. I am reminded of how safe I felt in the shadow of pine trees that lined a creek bed across the road from my paternal grandparents’ farmhouse… how I took refuge there often on the soft mossy bank and listened to the soothing “whisper” of the wind in the pines. And I am comforted to think that God’s protection of me is much the same… loving, strong – yet as gentle and soothing as the whisper of that wind – safe and protective. He truly does fend off all harm.
What about you? Are you trusting God today? I will admit that sometimes fear and insecurity sneak in, and I am momentarily caught off-guard. The devil loves to try to steal my peace and try to fill me with lies and worries. But I’m not having it… and neither should you. We “dwell in the shelter of the Most High” and “rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Let that soak in… truly think about how powerful this is! God is our refuge and fortress… we trust Him (or we should!)… and in His arms – no matter what comes our way - we are perfectly safe. Do you feel His presence and comfort? Are you snug and comfortable in the “quilt” of His love and protection? Won’t you allow Him to handle your cares and worries… and rest in His peace?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 9, 2011
Psalm 84:1-5
LORD God All-Powerful, your temple is so lovely! Deep in my heart I long for your temple, and with all that I am I sing joyful songs to you.
LORD God All-Powerful, my King and my God, sparrows find a home near your altars; swallows build nests there to raise their young. You bless everyone who lives in your house, and they sing your praises. You bless all who depend on you for their strength and all who deeply desire to visit your temple.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When my husband and I lived on what had been my grandparents’ farm, we had a beautiful old barn. That barn had been on the property all of my life. I stored my horse’s saddle in one of the old corn cribs. My grandfather fed his cattle in the feed chute along one side. The old stalls held interesting tools, hardware and hints of days gone by… and the loft was a treasure trove of things to discover… including the muddy nests of barn swallows that built there.
In later years, the barn became termite infested and had to be torn down. And once the barn was gone, the swallows had to look for a new home. Their solution was to try and build those muddy nests in an inset along the ceiling of our upstairs porch! We fought quite a battle with the swallows, and while we felt badly that their familiar nesting spot had been displaced, their messy abodes were not welcome in our house!
Have you ever felt displaced? Have you ever felt like the rug was pulled out from under you… and suddenly you didn’t know where to turn or what to do next? Did you fumble and stumble and try a few new options, hoping to hit on the right solution? It’s not a very fun feeling to be fumbling in the dark or feeling lost, is it?! And feeling like you are not wanted or don’t have a “home” where you belong is truly an unsettling experience, at best.
The Good News is that God’s door is always open. We are never displaced with Him… there is always room for us in His house – muddy, messy nests and all! Any time we start to feel like we don’t know what to do or where to turn, the answer is right in front of us… the LORD God All-Powerful! Our King and our God can help us figure out where to go next. He can find us the perfect “home”… the best solution… the right path.
When we give our heart to God and put our trust in Him to work on our behalf, we can rest in His presence… safe and secure. We can know that He will give us strength, courage, wisdom and peace. We always have a home with God… and that is cause for celebration and praise! Deep in our hearts, we can long for His temple… and He will find a spot for us there. We can sing songs of joy and praise His power, grace and mercy over us.
“Life” may temporarily displace us… but God will give us refuge and provide us a new place to roost. Are you trusting God to always provide you with a room in His house? Are you allowing Him to meet your needs… and giving Him praise for doing so? Isn’t it about time to start?
©2011 Debbie Robus
LORD God All-Powerful, your temple is so lovely! Deep in my heart I long for your temple, and with all that I am I sing joyful songs to you.
LORD God All-Powerful, my King and my God, sparrows find a home near your altars; swallows build nests there to raise their young. You bless everyone who lives in your house, and they sing your praises. You bless all who depend on you for their strength and all who deeply desire to visit your temple.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When my husband and I lived on what had been my grandparents’ farm, we had a beautiful old barn. That barn had been on the property all of my life. I stored my horse’s saddle in one of the old corn cribs. My grandfather fed his cattle in the feed chute along one side. The old stalls held interesting tools, hardware and hints of days gone by… and the loft was a treasure trove of things to discover… including the muddy nests of barn swallows that built there.
In later years, the barn became termite infested and had to be torn down. And once the barn was gone, the swallows had to look for a new home. Their solution was to try and build those muddy nests in an inset along the ceiling of our upstairs porch! We fought quite a battle with the swallows, and while we felt badly that their familiar nesting spot had been displaced, their messy abodes were not welcome in our house!
Have you ever felt displaced? Have you ever felt like the rug was pulled out from under you… and suddenly you didn’t know where to turn or what to do next? Did you fumble and stumble and try a few new options, hoping to hit on the right solution? It’s not a very fun feeling to be fumbling in the dark or feeling lost, is it?! And feeling like you are not wanted or don’t have a “home” where you belong is truly an unsettling experience, at best.
The Good News is that God’s door is always open. We are never displaced with Him… there is always room for us in His house – muddy, messy nests and all! Any time we start to feel like we don’t know what to do or where to turn, the answer is right in front of us… the LORD God All-Powerful! Our King and our God can help us figure out where to go next. He can find us the perfect “home”… the best solution… the right path.
When we give our heart to God and put our trust in Him to work on our behalf, we can rest in His presence… safe and secure. We can know that He will give us strength, courage, wisdom and peace. We always have a home with God… and that is cause for celebration and praise! Deep in our hearts, we can long for His temple… and He will find a spot for us there. We can sing songs of joy and praise His power, grace and mercy over us.
“Life” may temporarily displace us… but God will give us refuge and provide us a new place to roost. Are you trusting God to always provide you with a room in His house? Are you allowing Him to meet your needs… and giving Him praise for doing so? Isn’t it about time to start?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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