You Can Run, But …

Posted on by Betsy

Several years ago I ran a half marathon in my community. The community support for this event amazed me and I was delighted by all of the signs people put up along the route to encourage the runners. Many of the businesses along the route had signs, and my favorite was the one in front of the Kitty Hawk Police Department. Theirs read:

You can run, but you can’t hide. Good luck from the Kitty Hawk Police!

It makes me laugh to this day!

Have you ever tried to run away from God’s instruction, correction, or will for your life? Have you ever tried to hide from God? I have. In addition to the many times I tried to hide my sin and shame from him, I also tried to hide from my calling to become an ordained pastor. The idea of three years of seminary and pursuing the arduous process of ordination when I was a young wife and mother of preschoolers was terrifying. I put a veil of non-compliance over my face for two years and tried to pacify God with over-volunteering at the church to see if that would work.

It didn’t.

God sees through our veils.

Moses found himself in a situation where he had to veil the glory of God when God was establishing his Law on Mount Sinai. The importance of this event cannot be overstated. Think for a moment of how much the Law of the Ten Commandments informed the rest of our covenant relationship with God. These important rules are part of secular law even today, regardless of whether or not you can find them in a modern day courthouse. Governments can take them off the lawns or walls, but they are imbedded in how we act as a society.

When Moses encountered God, his face would glow to the point where it brought fear to the people:

Exodus 34 (Common English Bible)

29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two covenant tablets in his hand, Moses didn’t realize that the skin of his face shone brightly because he had been talking with God.30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw the skin of Moses’ face shining brightly, they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called them closer. So Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 After that, all the Israelites came near as well, and Moses commanded them everything that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 

And so the glory of God reflecting off of Moses’ face had to be tempered by a veil until the people could grow accustomed to it. But in God’s presence, the veil came off:

34 Whenever Moses went into the Lord’s presence to speak with him, Moses would take the veil off until he came out again. When Moses came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses’ face was shining brightly. So Moses would put the veil on his face again until the next time he went in to speak with the Lord.

It is fruitless to try to veil yourself in God’s presence. He sees right through it. It is fruitless to try to run from God. He can outrun you by half a marathon.

Are you running from God? Are you trying to hide your sin and shame? It’s time to come clean and come home. When you face your situation openly and honestly, you will find that God is waiting to receive you with open arms of forgiveness and acceptance.

The repentant heart is never rejected.

Glory Bird by Michelle Robertson

Level Ground

Posted on by Betsy

Today’s Scripture is a whopper. It happens in a physical location that Luke describes as “level ground,” but it also happens at a spiritual “level ground” as well. When you read this, expect to be grounded.

And possibly leveled.

Luke is very transparent about the audience: they came to hear Jesus because they needed healing. They came to level ground to be healed from all their diseases. Some had unclean spirits. Some were bothered. They had learned about his power, and everyone wanted to touch him.

Are you sick in spirit?

Are you bothered by life?

Do you need to be healed?

Proceed with caution.

Luke 6 (Common English Bible)

17 Jesus came down from the mountain with them and stood on a large area of level ground. A great company of his disciples and a huge crowd of people from all around Judea and Jerusalem and the area around Tyre and Sidon joined him there. 18 They came to hear him and to be healed from their diseases, and those bothered by unclean spirits were healed. 19 The whole crowd wanted to touch him, because power was going out from him and he was healing everyone.

20 Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said:

“Happy are you who are poor,
    because God’s kingdom is yours.
21 Happy are you who hunger now,
    because you will be satisfied.
Happy are you who weep now,
    because you will laugh.

So far, so good. This twist on what we normally think of happiness fits into Jesus’ style of teaching. Happy=poor, happy=hungry, happy=weeping … this all equates in the system I call “Jesus math.” Jesus doesn’t do math like we do. He has his own system of equations.

Then it gets more extreme.

22 Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One. 23 Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.

To define happiness THIS way requires the mind of the divine. But do you see what Jesus is getting at here? Happiness means being completely, wholly, and entirely SOLD OUT to Jesus and his cross. That indeed is cause to rejoice, even in the midst of the world’s condemnation.

Then it gets more extreme.

24 But how terrible for you who are rich,
    because you have already received your comfort.
25 How terrible for you who have plenty now,
    because you will be hungry.
How terrible for you who laugh now,
    because you will mourn and weep.
26 How terrible for you when all speak well of you.
    Their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.

Jesus math comes in again. Terrible=rich. Terrible=plentiful. Terrible=laughing. Terrible=praise from the world.

What can we learn from this today? I think it calls us to take a hard look at our own math. If you live your life on the “plus side” of things, perhaps it is time to minus out some of your excess and reach out to others. When we share from our plenty … our resources, our lives, our egos, and our hearts … that is when our math shifts.

What can you do today to bring joy to someone? How can you build up someone’s situation and diminish your own in the cause of the kingdom? Where can you impact the world for something outside of yourself?

And if you find yourself on the “minus side” of things, where can you go to reach out for help?

We are all sick in one way or another, but when we touch Jesus’ power, his healing flows to us and through us. That, my friends, is the math of equality.

Jesus calls us all to level the ground around us. Where do you fit into the equasion?

Dawn Breaks by Michelle Robertson

Transformed

Posted on by Betsy

Today I want to start by confessing a guilty pleasure. I have loved the show “Project Runway” from the very first season. Those of you who know me in real life know that 1. I am not a fashion maven by any stretch of the word and 2. I can’t sew. My idea of high fashion is finding a great solid top to match a comfortable pair of jeans. I don’t even like prints! But I love watching ordinary people taking a piece of cloth and transforming it into something breathtaking in the span of an hour, minus commercials. When the big reveal on the runway happens, it is like magic to me.

I love a good story about transformation. To see someone change their life right before your eyes is a sight to behold. I have a young friend who spent years living on the streets when she was addicted to heroin. Now she is clean, runs her own fitness studio, and is a voice in the wilderness for recovery and hope. Her transformation story is profound and inspiring.

Today’s passage involves a moment of transformation, a big reveal, and a change that changed the world.

Luke 9 (The Message)

28-31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.

Jesus’ appearance changed dramatically on the mountain. His companions also changed dramatically when Moses and Elijah joined him there. Luke describes it as a “glorious appearance.” When the disciples woke up from their nap, the glory was blinding and confusing:

32-33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking.

Ahhh, Peter. So much like us! Have you ever blurted out something without thinking? I love Peter’s humanity.

34-35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him.”

God appeared as a light-radiant cloud and everyone became deeply aware of him. This is something we should all be longing for … to encounter God in such a transformative way that we are deeply aware of his presence.

I think too often we are pretty unaware of God’s presence. Scripture assures us that God is with us, even unto the ends of the earth. But do we take the time to feel him? Do we take our eyes off of our worldly problems long enough to see him? Or are we asleep, like Peter, James, and John?

36 When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.

There is one major take-away here. God confirmed Jesus as his son and commands us to “Listen to him.”

Are you listening?

Do you see?

There is a big reveal waiting to happen in your life. Maybe it’s time to go to the mountain and pray.

Broken Tree by Skip Haynes

The Truth Is

Posted on by Betsy

A friend of mine has written a Bible study called “Believe.” It is an exploration of the pillars of the Christian faith and serves as a kind of “Christianity 101.” One of her chapters explores the Apostles Creed, which is a kind of Reader’s Digest version of centuries of Christian thought in one lovely statement.

If you take a moment to unpack it (rather than say it by rote, as we all tend to do), you will find all of the foundations of what we believe. God as creator. Jesus as his son. Mary as a virgin. Jesus crucified, dead and buried. And then on the third day, he arose from the dead. It’s all in there:

The Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

The early church began to struggle with the notion of the resurrection of the body. Paul dealt with this in the church in Corinth. (Lord have mercy! Paul dealt with EVERYTHING at the church in Corinth!) Secular thinking had infiltrated the community of faith, pointing out the ridiculous notion of a bodily resurrection for both Jesus and his followers.

So Paul fights back:

1 Corinthians 15 (The Message)

12-15 Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection.

16-20 If corpses can’t be raised, then Christ wasn’t, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ weren’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot.

But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.

The truth is that Christ was raised up. There were witnesses! And if we trust that, and we do, then we can trust in our own resurrection. It is indeed ridiculous. And miraculous. And unbelievable.
And true.

When I officiate a funeral, I encourage the mourners to hang their hats on this one unshakable truth. Because Jesus lives, you shall live also. And at the other end of all of this is a great heavenly reunion with all who have gone before us.

I believe, and I can’t wait. How about you?

Over the Rainbow by Michelle Robertson

You Choose

Posted on by Betsy

Every time I read Psalm 1, it takes me back several years to a time when my youngest daughter had a guinea pig who needed to go to the vet. I drove him to the office, and carefully carried him down the sidewalk to the entrance. Then I noticed that there were two sidewalks and two entrances: one marked “Dogs” and the other marked “Cats.” I stood there, looking confused, and tried to decide if Gus was more dog or cat. I spotted the vet tech laughing at me as she stood in the window that was between the two doors. When she caught my eye, she pointed toward the Cat door. Makes sense when you think about it, since cats arrive in cages and dogs arrive on foot.

That little moment reminded me that we are often confronted with two choices, and the path that we choose will determine what happens next. We have a choice to do good or do evil. We have a choice to offer compassion or ignore people’s needs. We have a choice to work for the betterment of our community or stay home and leech off of other people’s efforts. We have a choice to uplift or condemn. We have a choice to follow God or ignore him.

Psalm 1 offers a clear delineation of two choices. You can be a wicked and disrespectful sinner, or you can be a happy person who knows God’s word and follows God’s instruction:

Psalm 1 (Common English Bible)

The truly happy person
    doesn’t follow wicked advice,
    doesn’t stand on the road of sinners,
    and doesn’t sit with the disrespectful.
2 Instead of doing those things,
    these persons love the Lord’s Instruction,
    and they recite God’s Instruction day and night!
3 They are like a tree replanted by streams of water,
    which bears fruit at just the right time
    and whose leaves don’t fade.
        Whatever they do succeeds.

The Psalmist is clear in describing the results of your choices. People who follow God bear fruit and are successful, but woe unto the wicked:

4 That’s not true for the wicked!
    They are like dust that the wind blows away.
5 And that’s why the wicked will have no standing in the court of justice—
    neither will sinners
    in the assembly of the righteous.
6 The Lord is intimately acquainted
    with the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked is destroyed.

Not everything in life is so black and white, unfortunately. The path isn’t always so clearly marked as it was at the vet’s office. Many people find themselves going down a wrong path after making an ill-considered choice.

That’s when it is time to look at the window in the middle. Christ himself stands there, ready to re-direct, forgive, and help us back on the right path.

Have you strayed from the place where God put you? Have you wandered away and lost your footing?

The good news for us today it that there is always a way back. Trust, obey, and come on in. The door to happiness and salvation is always open. Thanks be to God!

Reflections of Grace by Kathy Schumacher

Push Out Into Deep Water

Posted on by Betsy

Our Scripture today is a true classic. You will recognize it as soon as your read it. Now that I live on the Outer Banks, all the fishing stories in the Scriptures have a different meaning for me. I am surrounded by boats, water, fishermen, nets, and beautiful ocean sunrises.

(Okay, in complete transparency, it is my friend Michelle who gets up at o-dark-thirty to capture the sunrises, but I live vicariously through her photography. When I get up. Two hours later.)

Luke tells the story of Jesus encouraging the fishermen to go back out to the water and try again to catch some fish after a long day of fishing with no results. This is a little like that time your Dad told you to try again when your legs, arms, or brain were too tired from your fruitless exertion as you attempted to do something. Whether it was learning how to ride a bike after countless falls, pitching poorly in the eighth inning in the Georgia heat, or having to re-take your SATs, Dads are always pushing frustrated kids to try again. Jesus is just like that here:

Luke 5 (The Message)

 1-3 Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God. He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simon’s and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd.

The fishermen only scrub their nets at the end of the day, so you know they were over it. Finished, pooped, kaput … they were DONE.

4 When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.”

So now Jesus tells them not only to try again, but to push out into deep water, which meant rowing farther and harder than they had all day. I’m sure there was an eye-roll or two among them. Didn’t he notice that their nets had returned empty? Come on, Jesus!

5-7 Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.

Oh, my goodness. Pushing out to the deep as Jesus instructed resulted in a bounty of fish so great, it took two boats of tired fishermen to haul it back to shore.

8-10 Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. “Master, leave. I’m a sinner and can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.” When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. It was the same with James and John, Zebedee’s sons, coworkers with Simon.

10-11 Jesus said to Simon, “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.

Where is God calling you to ”push out into the deep?” Is he telling you to move beyond your comfort zone to do his will or his work? Do you feel unworthy, like Peter? We all do. But this story is a great reminder that when you are obedient to God’s instruction to ”try again,” he will multiply your blessings.

All you need to do is follow him.

Pushing Out by Michelle Robertson

Loyal Love

Posted on by Betsy

We use the word “love” a lot nowadays. From the deepest relationship love to the most casual, “Girl! I love your shoes!”, the word love is often on our lips. Everyone is in the habit of saying “Love you!” at the end of a phone call. Have you ever embarrassed yourself by signing off on a call with that familiar phrase, only to remember that you were talking to the lady at the water department? I have!

What are some things that you love? It might be a favorite sports team, a pet, your children/parents/spouse, Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies … we are blessed to have a list of things we love with all our hearts. I recently preached a sermon on 1 Corinthians 13, the famous ”love passage,” and found a lovely illustration on children’s thoughts on love. One young girl explained that love is like when her grandmother got arthritis, preventing her from being able to bend over to paint her toenails, her grandfather started doing it for her, even though he has arthritis in his hands. That is loyal love, my friends.

David wrote a beautiful psalm about his love for God, and God’s love for him. David knew God intimately, and these words reflect the depth of David’s appreciation and understanding for a God who loves us with a deep and abiding love:

Psalm 138 (Common English Bible)

I give thanks to you with all my heart, Lord.
    I sing your praise before all other gods.
2 I bow toward your holy temple
    and thank your name
    for your loyal love and faithfulness
        because you have made your name and word
        greater than everything else.
3 On the day I cried out, you answered me.
    You encouraged me with inner strength.

Let’s pause there a moment and think of God’s love for us. David describes it as ”loyal love and faithfulness.” I agree with that. Too often, as we go about our day, we neglect to show God the appreciation that he is due. This Psalm is a good reminder that whenever we cry out, God answers us.

Do you need to cry out to God today? He is always listening.

4 Let all the earth’s rulers give thanks to you, Lord,
    when they hear what you say.
5 Let them sing about the Lord’s ways
    because the Lord’s glory is so great!
6 Even though the Lord is high,
    he can still see the lowly,
    but God keeps his distance from the arrogant.

I know a young man who is extremely arrogant. His over-inflated sense of self-worth led him down some dangerous paths as he sought to feed his insatiable ego. Then came a life-changing downfall. Did God abandon him? No. Did God keep his distance? You bet.

7 Whenever I am in deep trouble,
    you make me live again;
    you send your power against my enemies’ wrath;
    you save me with your strong hand.
8 The Lord will do all this for my sake.

So here is the good news for that young man, and for us as well. David writes that whenever he was in deep trouble, God provided the strength to get out of his situation. The problem with arrogance is that we think we have it all under control, and so we don’t seek God’s help. Arrogance prevents us from being willing to yield to God’s will. But when we lay down our egos, God can come in.

Your faithful love lasts forever, Lord!
    Don’t let go of what your hands
    have made.

I love that last line … don’t let go. You see, even in our most despicable times, God may distance himself from our sin, but he NEVER LETS GO. His reach is beyond measure and his love is loyal and faithful.

I hope that gives you encouragement today. If you have gotten too ”full of yourself,” you can always repent and return. When you do, you’ll find that God had his long arm extended with his sure grasp on your shoulder the whole time. Thanks be to God!

God Never Lets Go by Michelle Robertson

By Grace

Posted on by Betsy

I know a young woman who has made a remarkable journey from a normal, upper middle class upbringing to a normal, upper middle class college education to living on the streets for five years as a heroin addict. Today she is fully recovered. She owns her own business, enjoys a happy marriage, and is a strong and passionate voice for others dealing with drug use. Her pain, suffering, and struggles are now employed in helping others understand addiction and recovery. To me, she embodies the possibility of complete and total transformation that comes through the grace of God. We do recover!

I thought of her this morning as I read Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. Paul underwent a tremendous transformation of his own, going from being a murdering persecutor of Christ’s church to being one of its strongest advocates. Most of what we understand about theology comes from Paul’s letters, and his work in taking the gospel all over the known world speaks for itself. He is the reason we have the church today, and his words still have relevance thousands of years after he wrote them.

1 Corinthians 15 (Common English Bible)

15 Brothers and sisters, I want to call your attention to the good news that I preached to you, which you also received and in which you stand. 2 You are being saved through it if you hold on to the message I preached to you, unless somehow you believed it for nothing. 

3 I passed on to you as most important what I also received: Christ died for our sins in line with the scriptures, 4 he was buried, and he rose on the third day in line with the scriptures. 5 He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve, 6 and then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at once—most of them are still alive to this day, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me, as if I were born at the wrong time. 9 I’m the least important of the apostles. I don’t deserve to be called an apostle, because I harassed God’s church. 

10 I am what I am by God’s grace, and God’s grace hasn’t been for nothing. In fact, I have worked harder than all the others—that is, it wasn’t me but the grace of God that is with me. 11 So then, whether you heard the message from me or them, this is what we preach and this is what you have believed.

“I am what I am because of God’s grace.” Can’t we all say that? Where would you be without it? I know I would be lost. Paul gives God credit for the hard work he put in, realizing that is grace alone that enables us to do good works.

Is God calling you to transform some aspect of your life? Are you engaging in something harmful that requires a stepping away and giving it over to him? Are your relationships in need of repair? Do you need God’s grace to move on with your life in a new direction?

Lucky for us, God’s grace is abundant, amazing, and free to all who seek it. If addicts can recover and murderers can be redeemed, your situation can be changed if you yield to his will and his mercy. You are not alone!

God’s grace is ENOUGH.

Enough by Michelle Robertson

Temptations

Posted on by Betsy

Think of something that tempts you. It might be food, cheating, lashing out in anger, lying, engaging in substance abuse, pursuing an inappropriate relationship … temptations are all around us. As we mature, we learn coping strategies for not giving in every time. Most of the time. But then there are other situations where the temptation gets the best of us, and we are lost.

I have come to realize, after years of marriage and divorce counseling, that temptations are often the root cause of a broken marriage. Adultery, overspending, angry words, the need to dominate … relationships can easily be sunk when one partner can’t resist a temptation and gives in to it.

In our passage from Hebrews, we find a word of encouragment for those times when we are tempted to do something unhealthy, ungodly, or unholy. And oh, does it please the devil when we give in to temptation! He lives for those moments when our weakness overcomes us and he wins. But the writer assures us that by becoming flesh and blood, Jesus also encountered temptations. The good news for us is, he overcame every one and with his power we can, too.

Hebrews 2 (Common English Bible)

14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he also shared the same things in the same way. He did this to destroy the one who holds the power over death—the devil—by dying. 15 He set free those who were held in slavery their entire lives by their fear of death.16 Of course, he isn’t trying to help angels, but rather he’s helping Abraham’s descendants. 

Did you get that? Jesus shared in all of the same things that we deal with on a daily basis. He was tempted by all the same things we struggle with, but he overcame every one. In so doing, Jesus destroyed the devil’s power over flesh and blood. Praise God! We have a savior who GETS US.

17 Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way. This was so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, in order to wipe away the sins of the people. 18 He’s able to help those who are being tempted, since he himself experienced suffering when he was tempted.

What is tempting you right now? Go to the One who overcame it all for your sake. He has experienced what you are experiencing in your suffering, and he is ready and able to hear your prayers and give you strength.

Dawn Patrol by Tim Beacham

Escape

Posted on by Betsy

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!

Sheltered by Michelle Robertson