IT
IS NOT A SIGN OF WEAKNESS TO RUN TO GOD FOR SHELTER AND STRENGTH
Psalm
46:1-3
1 God is our refuge and
strength,
a very present help
in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not
fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved
into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar
and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its
swelling. Selah
How
would you fill in the phrase: My present trouble is…? Dear friend, if you don’t
have trouble today, thank the Lord; but I am sure you know someone who is
having trouble today. We all know that trouble is just around the corner. This
is not a gloomy prediction, but simply a reality of life.
John
16:33
I have said these things to you,
that in me you may have peace. In the world you will
have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the
world.”
Jesus prepared us. Believers, when they
become children of God, do not get a special pass to return in the Garden of
Eden. But they do receive the privilege of a personal relationship with God,
that will accompany them through the difficulties of life.
Are
we as aware as we should be that we have a place to find refuge and strength?
A
refuge is a place where we can go to be protected during trouble. It does not
mean that the difficulty is over, but we are not to be dismayed, for the
omnipotent God is our Refuge. The shelter we have cannot be overcome in any
way, by anyone. Our strength does not come from the fact that our trouble will
end quickly, but by the sure protection we receive. We are tempted to think
that we can have peace because our God will stop the difficulty, but God wants
us to have peace because He is our shelter. And, my dear friends, we tend to
look to God to put an end to our problems, instead of enjoying the blessed fact
that our trouble has driven us into His arms.
I
love the fact that the writer reminds us that God is a very present help. Our
God does not need to be awakened, nor does He become aware of our situation
when He hears our first prayer. He has been there, He has allowed the
difficulty, He loves to be our shelter, and in fact, that is His intention. He
is not pleased when we try to fight through a problem on our own. God desires
that we live in His shelter at all times.
God the Father has planned all from
eternity past. He
provided our entrance into His shelter by revealing Himself to us, and sending
His Son to die for us so Jesus could be the way, the door into the shelter. And
He has provided the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, to guide us into the shelter
and to keep us there. The triune God has planned this, and is pleased to do it.
It is not a sign of weakness to run
to God for shelter and strength. It is, indeed, the only wise choice we can make. One
who comes humbly, realizing that he needs a shelter and that all other man-made
shelters are worthless, even dangerous, is never turned away from God’s arms.
There
is no problem too big for God. Even though we might feel that the world is
crashing around us, the wise place of shelter is God. Yes, marriages fail,
families go through great trials, our health can escape us, the economy and job
situation can be overwhelming. Human shelters can be hard to find, but God’s
arms are always open wide.
We
can stray into the wilderness of the world, create or multiply our trials
through sin, but the way to the shelter is always the same: humble repentance
and return to Christ. There are no long rituals that must be done; only grace
can solve our problems. Dear friend, you have never wandered too far to come
back to the wonderful protection of God.
Oh,
how easily I am tempted to think that I am going through my trials alone, thinking
that I am a victim of circumstances and people, when God is inviting me to find
rest in Him. I must say that often we are very stubborn in our ways. God is so
very patient with us, isn’t He.
Do
you fear your situations? Are you going through a season of worry? Are you
becoming bitter? Are you simply rebelling? Please recognize your sin and return
to God. Find comfort in the truth you know about God. You can trust the
CHARACTER of God, His WISDOM, His POWER, and His LOVE.
Since
God is perfect, He cannot do anything wrong. Since He is all-wise, He cannot
make any mistakes. Since He is all-powerful, He cannot be overcome, and since
He is all-loving, He will never leave you or stop loving you perfectly.
I
AM SO GLAD THAT GOD IS MY SHELTER! ARE YOU?
No comments:
Post a Comment