New Year’s Eve brought something unexpected to my little family this year: fireworks. Very close fireworks, which possibly came from the back yard adjoining the little townhouse we were staying in. It felt in some moments that the fireworks were in the room with us. That is annoying when your idea of welcoming in the new year is to be in bed by ten, and fall asleep hoping you will remember to start dating things with 2022 the next day. But for my dog, fireworks are terrifying.

Georgia is not bothered by storms, thunder, Nor ’easters, etc, but when that high whine of something about to explode happens, she takes her 100lb. body and tries to find the smallest place of safety in the house. We have spent many a July 4th huddled with her in the kneehole of the built-in desk of our guest room. On New Year’s Eve, my husband sat with her on the laundry room floor until the jubilation was finally over.

Where do you go to escape? When the cacophony of stress threatens to deafen you, when your eyes have seen more tragedy than joy, when your heart breaks with the absence of your one true love, where do you flee?

I hope you flee to God. I pray that you know that in any circumstance, God is a sound-proof rock cave that can withstand any type of assault … whether it be physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual.

Listen to how the psalmist put it:

Psalm 71 (Common English Bible)

I’ve taken refuge in you, Lord.
    Don’t let me ever be put to shame!
² Deliver me and rescue me by your righteousness!
    Bend your ear toward me and save me!
³ Be my rock of refuge
    where I can always escape.
You commanded that my life be saved
    because you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴ My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked;
    rescue me from the grip of the wrongdoer and the oppressor
⁵     because you are my hope, Lord.
    You, Lord, are the one I’ve trusted since childhood.
⁶ I’ve depended on you from birth—
    you cut the cord when I came from my mother’s womb.
    My praise is always about you.

I don’t know what is about to explode in your life right now, but I do know where you can go for shelter. God’s power is available to deliver you and save you from all manner of evil, slander, wickedness, oppression, and harm. And explosions.

Flee to the Rock, and you will find hope.

Check out my friend Shannon’s thought-provoking post, and sorry about the song that will get stuck in your head all day!