Shelter

These days I am just cold. The temperature has been pretty low, and the wind chill has been brutal, and sometimes when I go outside I feel like my bones are starting to freeze. On the up side, I have been really thankful for my house. It’s warm in there, and I am amazed by the fact that the freezing wind and snow can be blowing against the north wall of my house, and yet six inches away on the other side of that wall, the temperature can be 60 or 70 degrees warmer. And that’s a good thing, because if it wasn’t, I would be a popsicle right now!

The cold winter outside and the warmth of my house inside has got me thinking about other places of safety and refuge that I have in my life. We need those because the truth is that we’ve all got much bigger problems than the weather, and most of those problems can’t be solved by four walls and a heater. But as for me, I do have a refuge in my life from those things also.

In short, I have surrendered myself to God and He has taken me in. Every day He keeps me safe in the midst of the storms of life. And for me, that has made all the difference. Psalm 91 in the Bible starts off with these words:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

It is a beautiful thing to have safety and comfort in good times and in bad times, and my good news for you is that you can have that, too.

Maybe you are about as worn out by life as a person can be. If you are, maybe it’s time to come in out of the cold and the wind. God sent His own Son Jesus to show you the way in, and to hold the door open just for you. God is good, and He wants to be our safe place.

---