Friday, September 19, 2008

A Refuge in the Storm

Psalm 62:1-9 is all about God's being our salvation and refuge.

Verses 7 and 8 say:

In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.

I really see this world running down. We live in an unprecedented time. Banks are failing in a way not seen since the "Great Depression." Insurance companies are closing. Companies are declaring bankruptcy. The stock market is dipping and rising like a roller coaster. The housing market continues to fall.

More alarmingly, "celebrity preachers" are "tickling the hears" of hundreds of thousands rather than revealing full truth.

It's a messed up world . . .

Yet, those of us who know God, who have a personal relationship with Jesus, can find refuge from the storm. We can be assured that, no matter what happens, that God is our rock, our stronghold . . . our refuge.

Thank You, Lord God, that You provide refuge for Your children. You are the calm in the midst of the storm. You are the wing under which we can hide. It's easy to get caught up in today's chaos. Help us to live wisely, but always looking to You in faith. Let us not make rash decisions out of fear or worry. Rather, let us follow Your will, knowing that You are in loving control. Be glorified. Amen.

Friday, September 05, 2008

It Breaks My Heart . . .

I've been reading the book of Mark, and I'm in the middle of chapter 14. It's the chapter that includes Jesus's betrayal by Judas. It's very sobering to read how one of His own betrayed Him for pieces of silver.

But you know what?

That's not the saddest part to me. What really breaks my heart is verse 50. The New International Version says it this way. After Judas betrayed Jesus and He was arrested, "Then everyone deserted him and fled."

Everyone.

We assume it was just the other eleven disciples, but maybe it included some of the other followers. In any case, that "everyone" was, at the very least, those eleven who had been following Jesus for three years. They'd broken bread with Him. They'd probably camped out under the stars by His side. They'd seen Him heal the broken. They'd watched Him raise the dead. They knew He was the Christ. And just moments before, Peter said he'd die with Jesus.

And yet, everyone deserted Him. Everyone.

It just breaks my heart.

And I think it broke Jesus's heart too. It think it caused more pain than the beatings He'd receive and from the nails that would be pounded in His flesh.

When I read this verse, I'm convicted of something: I never want to cause Jesus that kind of pain again. I deserted Him once. I spent 20 years fleeing from Him. And I broke His heart, just as those eleven did.

And I never want to do that again.