When your world
of peace and contentment is shaken and all but the foundation you stand on
seems to be falling apart; what do you do? Where do you go?
In His Word- 10-11-16
I stand silently
before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me. For salvation comes from him
alone.
Years ago when I returned
from a Sunday School Teacher’s gathering toting my two young children, late at
night, alone because my husband had to work that night; I surprised a couple of
thieves.
I remember it as if it was
yesterday. I left my 3 year old in the car and held my infant in her carrier as
I opened the door. The plan was to place baby inside the door and grab the
sleeping toddler while leaving the house open and knowing all was secure. After
all we lived in a nice neighborhood, though we had only lived there a few
months and had not really made many friends yet but the lady on the end of the
short block, Jan. The house next door
was a rental. We kind of met the kids that lived there but not anyone else.
So as I walked in with baby
I glanced around and first realized I had left the lights on… then the house
was trashed; ‘I never left my house like that!’ I had thought to myself. At
least I didn’t think so. Then I heard a voice in the garage, I noticed then the
door was wide open... the voice said that I was right there in the kitchen! I
looked at the phone and thought of calling 911, but instead I decided to get
out of there and go to a friend who lived not too far away. I could not find their
house so I went to a convenience store and used a pay phone to call the police,
and my best friend who sent her husband to the house to wait for us to go back.
The police came in a flood
because I told them I was a mom with two babies, and that the thieves were
still there. My friends husband stayed there until my husband came home from
work. I was so frightened that someone could come into our house like that and
take things that belonged to us that I was shaking, but I put on a tough face
so my husband would not worry. The next day after my husband went to work and
the kids were down for a nap I was doing my normal cleaning as I approached our
missing stereo system I dropped to the floor and cried, then I cried out to
God. I yelled to God asking Him why he allowed this to happen, and asked Him why
had we moved to this place; I gave him all the fear I had felt and stayed there
until I regained the peace that had been shattered.
Yes, you who
trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who
reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become
the cornerstone.” And, “He is the
stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble
because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned
for them. But you are not like that, for you are a
chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.
As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of
the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:7-9 NLT
If I had not gone to my rock, my God and cried out I would have
probably been afraid for a very long time. Considering that season had my
husband on nights a lot I was alone with the kids at night quite often. I would
have been stir crazy at night had it not been for the refuge I could gather in
my Lord’s arms. I had to make the decision to trust Him to protect us, and to
realize the things were just things. Life went on, things don’t mean as much as
the lives that were protected from harm. I thank God for the guidance I believe
came from Him to get out of the house and away to safety for my children and
myself. We never recovered the items, but we did recover our peace.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and
lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs
3:5-6
Throughout the years we have found lives that have been touched by our
presence here as well as been touched by the lives around us; I can’t count how
many people we have met and enjoyed the friendships of in our home. God has
protected us through many things here but through every earthquake of life we
have found peace and hope in His refuge.
So God has given both
his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is
impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can
have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This
hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the
curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus
has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the
order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:18-20
Dear Heavenly Father,
thank you that you are our Rock, you are strong and solid and a perfect shelter
from the storms, and earthquakes of life. Continue to give us hope in your
refuge; In Jesus name, amen.
Read some more! Hebrews 7:1-20, 1 Peter 2:1-25 and Psalm 62:1-12