Our Refuge

-


But I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the end He will stand on the dust (earth). Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see Him, and not as a stranger. My heart longs within me. - Job 19:25-27

Forgive us Lord, when we temporarily lose our way. The burdens of this world are too much for us to bear. Grief drowns joy. Fears suffocate peace. Hope hides and pain prevails. We look for comfort in worldly things, expecting something or someone to satisfy our longing to feel safe.

Lord, why do we forget that You alone are our refuge? Waiting with open arms, You call to us..."Draw near to Me." Our solace is found solely in Your security.

Why can't we remember that floundering in fear is futile when we can find shelter in Your arms?

You are not the author of confusion, yet we often allow confusion to pen part of our story.

You are not the one who steals, kills, and destroys, so why do we allow the enemy to make us wallow in worry instead of trusting in Your truths?

You are not a stranger. You hold us close and offer rest for our weary souls. You rescue us. Keep us. Restore us.

One day, we will see You face to face, but until that day, may we remember You reign supreme. May our hope reside in You amidst the chaos in our lives. May we be like the biblical examples who stood firm in faith while admitting, "We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You."

We thank you for the strength You offer when we lay aside pride and admit to You that we are weak. You are so full of mercy and grace...may we grow evermore like You. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

For the Weary on Mother's Day Weekend

-
Image
T he first phrase that comes to mind when I think of Mother's Day is "ugly-beautiful."  Christian author Ann Voskamp refers to this as when something beautiful comes out of something hideous, dark, and overwhelming. The ugly-beautiful. It's why I tolerate Mother's Day, and why I hate it. Hate is a strong word suited only for those things we detest the most. Hate is fitting for this. Because while I'm celebrating the beautiful, someone else is wrestling with the ugly. Someone is facing the loss of a child. A miscarriage, a stillbirth, a death of one who breathed on this earth...it's all just LOSS. Someone is throwing a pregnancy test across the bathroom and when it falls to the ground, it's as if another piece of her heart falls right along with it. Someone is trying to navigate this journey of life without the unconditional love of a mother because for some reason her mother's love is conditional. Someone is grieving the loss of her own mother, lon
Read more

Reveal Your Identity & Share Your Story

-
Image
He appeared to be having an identity crisis. This boy of mine, with a spirit full of joy and an imagination full of superheroes. He looked at his too big shirt and proudly proclaimed, "I'm Superman!" A plastic mask gave him an even braver heart as he yelled to all who would listen, "I'm Ironman!" I snapped this picture and told my bold boy it was time to get in the car. He took off his mask, looked me straight in the eyes and said, "You don't want Superman. You don't want Ironman. You always want me!"  Always, sweet boy. I always want the unmasked you. The one who looks cute in costumes but cuter without. The boy who displays the same excitement for life out of character as he does in character. The little guy who knows that high-fiving and fist-bumping a stranger is more important than flashing superhero symbols. Oh, yes, I always, always want you!  This boy. He is a special child. Created by God for a purpose that far outweighs what
Read more

Always There

-
Image
  Five days ago, my son and I discovered a bird's nest in one of our trees. Nothing was in it. Today, we noticed a bird sitting in the nest. Thanks to my six-year-old, our day has been consumed with watching this bird. We go outside and check every few minutes to make sure the bird is still in its nest. It always is. Sometimes it sits there when we approach it and sometimes it flies away but stays close...always watching the nest. A little investigating confirmed what I thought all along, eggs are now in there. That bird is protecting its young.  The last time my boy asked to go check on the bird, I told him he could go check and I would watch from the window. He has never been allowed to go outside on his own so he walked outside trepidatiously at first. Then he looked at me through the window, waved, and with great courage because mom was watching, he ran toward the nest. Much like the protective bird, I watched my little guy until he came safely inside.  A year ago, almost to th
Read more