Shelter In The Time of The Storm
Shelter In The Time Of The Storm
“You are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall, or like the relentless heat of the desert.” Isaiah 25:4-5
Copper was the sweetest little dachshund on the planet, but he had one very troubling issue: he was a scaredy cat. Er, scaredy-dog. Whenever a storm blew through, he would make a run for the bathroom and jump into the tub.
His owner, Annie, wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Many times, she would awaken in the night to the sound of barking coming from the bathroom. There she would find her precious pooch shivering and shaking in his porcelain hideaway. Turned out, he was great at getting in, but he couldn't get himself back out again.
Why the bathtub? A bit of research led her to the answer. Dogs feel grounded and safe in the tub during a storm. They leap over the edge to their porcelain safety net whenever they feel stressed or need an escape. Copper was doing what came naturally -- protecting himself from the storm.
What about you? Where do you run when you need an escape from the storms of life? Is it a false sense of security, or is it solid protection? God wants to be your go-to hiding place. He longs for you to come to Him, not just when you're afraid, but whenever a storm of any kind hits. His name should be the first on your lips.
Are you walking through a storm right now? Call on the Lord. Jump into the safety of His arms. He will keep you grounded and safe, no matter how hard the winds might blow.
+++
Isaiah tells us in the above verse that ruthless people are like a storm. They rage and beat against the innocent, and the innocent are the ones who suffer at their hands. The world we live in is full of ruthless people. Violence and wickedness are around every corner. What is true in the world is also true within many homes. Those who pledge to love and protect us are often the ones who are the source of the storms of life we face. How many women have experienced not only heartbreak, but physical abuse at the hands of the man who said he loved her? How many children have cried themselves to sleep because of instead of being protected, they were abused? Wickedness and evil are everywhere!
Because of the overwhelming failure of so many fathers in our society, many children along with grown men and women view “father” as a bad word. Their experiences growing up make it almost impossible to see God the Father as anything other than a big, mean, authoritarian in the sky!
This is not who God is or what He is like! He is a faithful Father who loves His children and who has pledged Himself to protect and provide for every need in our lives. He yearns for us to flee to Him in the midst of the storms of life we face in this world. He will not turn away from us! In fact, if we are willing to look, He is running to us.
The image Isaiah uses is the image of a “tower.” The tower of a city or castle was called the “keep.” It was heavily fortified and almost impossible to breech. It was the place where people would flee during a time of attack. It was the safest place to be when the enemy attacked.
God tells us clearly that it is His desire for us to flee to Him and trust that He will protect us. He is stronger and mightier than any storm of life we will face! Couple this with the fact that He has made you His child through faith in the blood of His only Son Jesus. Since He is a faithful Father who has already shown us the extent of His love, we can flee to Him in the storm and find a place of safety and refuge.
Remember what you have heard in the past. We often think we can face every challenge on our own. We don’t think we need to ask for help! This is especially true for men who believe it is a sign of weakness to ask for help with anything in their life! This is a lie of the devil himself. We were not created to face life in this world alone. We were created for relationships. A relationship with God and relationships with one another. We were never intended to be alone! Thank God we have Him and one another to lean on and to flee to when the storms of life assail us. Trust in God and be there for each other.
In Christ,
Pastor Russ
“You are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall, or like the relentless heat of the desert.” Isaiah 25:4-5
Copper was the sweetest little dachshund on the planet, but he had one very troubling issue: he was a scaredy cat. Er, scaredy-dog. Whenever a storm blew through, he would make a run for the bathroom and jump into the tub.
His owner, Annie, wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Many times, she would awaken in the night to the sound of barking coming from the bathroom. There she would find her precious pooch shivering and shaking in his porcelain hideaway. Turned out, he was great at getting in, but he couldn't get himself back out again.
Why the bathtub? A bit of research led her to the answer. Dogs feel grounded and safe in the tub during a storm. They leap over the edge to their porcelain safety net whenever they feel stressed or need an escape. Copper was doing what came naturally -- protecting himself from the storm.
What about you? Where do you run when you need an escape from the storms of life? Is it a false sense of security, or is it solid protection? God wants to be your go-to hiding place. He longs for you to come to Him, not just when you're afraid, but whenever a storm of any kind hits. His name should be the first on your lips.
Are you walking through a storm right now? Call on the Lord. Jump into the safety of His arms. He will keep you grounded and safe, no matter how hard the winds might blow.
+++
Isaiah tells us in the above verse that ruthless people are like a storm. They rage and beat against the innocent, and the innocent are the ones who suffer at their hands. The world we live in is full of ruthless people. Violence and wickedness are around every corner. What is true in the world is also true within many homes. Those who pledge to love and protect us are often the ones who are the source of the storms of life we face. How many women have experienced not only heartbreak, but physical abuse at the hands of the man who said he loved her? How many children have cried themselves to sleep because of instead of being protected, they were abused? Wickedness and evil are everywhere!
Because of the overwhelming failure of so many fathers in our society, many children along with grown men and women view “father” as a bad word. Their experiences growing up make it almost impossible to see God the Father as anything other than a big, mean, authoritarian in the sky!
This is not who God is or what He is like! He is a faithful Father who loves His children and who has pledged Himself to protect and provide for every need in our lives. He yearns for us to flee to Him in the midst of the storms of life we face in this world. He will not turn away from us! In fact, if we are willing to look, He is running to us.
The image Isaiah uses is the image of a “tower.” The tower of a city or castle was called the “keep.” It was heavily fortified and almost impossible to breech. It was the place where people would flee during a time of attack. It was the safest place to be when the enemy attacked.
God tells us clearly that it is His desire for us to flee to Him and trust that He will protect us. He is stronger and mightier than any storm of life we will face! Couple this with the fact that He has made you His child through faith in the blood of His only Son Jesus. Since He is a faithful Father who has already shown us the extent of His love, we can flee to Him in the storm and find a place of safety and refuge.
Remember what you have heard in the past. We often think we can face every challenge on our own. We don’t think we need to ask for help! This is especially true for men who believe it is a sign of weakness to ask for help with anything in their life! This is a lie of the devil himself. We were not created to face life in this world alone. We were created for relationships. A relationship with God and relationships with one another. We were never intended to be alone! Thank God we have Him and one another to lean on and to flee to when the storms of life assail us. Trust in God and be there for each other.
In Christ,
Pastor Russ
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