Tag:

refuge

The Abundance of Your House

by TerryLema

Psalm 91 begins with the wonderful truth that “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” [HCSB]

That verse is so familiar. I know I have repeated it often when life got demanding and fearful and I needed a refuge and a fortress.

Then as I was searching for a Scripture the other day, the following one popped up in my search. It was not the one I was looking for, but it sure got my attention.

Psalm 36:7-9: “God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They are filled from the abundance of Your house; You let them drink from Your refreshing stream, for with You is life’s fountain. In Your light we will see light.” [HCSB]

We find so much more than a refuge and a fortress when we dwell in the “Shadow of the Almighty.” The Psalmist reminds us that we find God’s faithful love. It is a love that he defines as “so valuable.” I can sure attest to that. To know that God loves me sustains me through the roughest of times.

Even more we are filled with abundance. Jesus said in John 10:10 that He came so that we might have a life filled with abundance.  Part of that abundance is to be able to drink from life’s fountain and to abide in God’s light.

To those of the world, words such as refuge, fortress, and shadow carry a nuance of darkness. But to those in the refuge of God’s wings, they are light and abundance and faithful love!

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Until … Until

by TerryLema

I love mornings. I am an early riser, usually between 4:30 and 6:00 AM. I wake up, grab a cup of coffee and head to my bonus room in the quiet. I watch as the world gets lighter around me, darkness flees with each passing minute.

In those early morning hours, I write, I pray, I study, I converse with my LORD and Savior. Those hours are the most precious to me – I hate anything that interrupts them.

I think David must have been an early riser. Maybe all shepherds have to be so. Many of his songs speak of mornings and his attention to the LORD upon rising.

“But I will sing of Your strength and will joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning. For You have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble.” [Psalm 59:16 HCSB]

God is a stronghold and refuge in the day of trouble. I think the last few years could be described so far as “years of trouble” not just days. They certainly have abounded with fear, misinformation, loss, hopelessness, and opposition. The horizon of change still seems to be far off. So much talk of things not getting back to normal until we end the pandemic … until inflation reverses … until mass shootings are stopped … until ….

There seems to be no set plan or date for returning to normal, and I wonder if the old normal will ever return.

Amid all this the church is being called upon to repent and turn back to God. So many heavy-duty issues to deal with daily. Still God continues to remind us that He alone is our stronghold, He alone is our refuge. It is His strength and His faithful love that comes to us every morning.

Thank you, LORD, for being there each day, providing a stronghold and refuge for your people. Amen.

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Disappointments Abound …

by TerryLema

Last Wednesday we received disappointing news. We have not seen our California son and his family in almost a year, since last Christmas season. We planned to have them here for Thanksgiving, but because of COVID-19 in their state and in our ours, that expectation was crushed. We are hoping to see them for Christmas, but with all that is going on in our world, that too might not happen.

Disappointments abound this year. “Disappointment” just might be the word to describe all of 2020. Everyone in some way has struggled with disappointment, whether in families, employment, school, politics, sports, or health. Nothing seems to be the way we like it; everything seems to be fraught with frustrations, griefs, loss, and hopelessness.

Still, from the Christian, rejoicing and praise should abound. David prayed in the morning in Psalm 5. He began his day by lifting his voice to the LORD. He noted his enemies, but he then took great comfort in God’s care.

“But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You. For You, Lord, bless the righteous one; You surround him with favor like a shield.” [Psalm 5:11-12 HCSB]

We have a refuge and a shelter in our LORD. He surrounds us with favor amid disappointments and challenges. Because of God’s care for us, we are to shout for joy forever.

I anticipate that Thanksgiving this year will be a mixture of sadness (at not seeing our son and his family) and joy (because of the family we have here) … and because the LORD is our shelter and shield, I will rejoice! Even if it be with tears. Amen.

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In the Day of Trouble …

by TerryLema

I love mornings. I am an early riser, usually between 4:30 and 6:00 AM. I wake up, grab a cup of coffee and head to my bonus room in the quiet. I watch as the world gets lighter around me, darkness flees with each passing minute.

In those early morning hours, I write, I pray, I study, I converse with my LORD and Savior. Those hours are the most precious to me – I hate anything that interrupts them.

I think David must have been an early riser. Maybe all shepherds have to be so. Many of his songs speak of mornings and his attention to the LORD upon rising.

“But I will sing of Your strength and will joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning. For You have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble.” [Psalm 59:16 HCSB]

God is a stronghold and refuge in the day of trouble. I think 2020 could be described so far as a “year of trouble.” It certainly has abounded with fear, misinformation, loss, hopelessness, and opposition. The horizon of change still seems to be far off. So much talk of things not getting back to normal until … until the infection count goes down … until a vaccine is available … until … until. There seems to be no set plan or date for returning to normal, and I wonder if the old normal will ever return.

Amid all this the church is being called upon to repent and turn back to God. So many heavy-duty issues to deal with daily. Still, amid all this God is reminding us that He alone is our stronghold, He alone is our refuge. It is His strength and His faithful love that comes to us every morning.

Thank you, LORD, for being there each day, providing a stronghold and refuge for your people. Amen.

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We Will Not Fear

by TerryLema

This morning I retreated. I heard health news from a couple of friends that rocked me yesterday.

I read that churches in California have been barred from singing, although many still are singing their praises to God. (No telling what ramifications there will be for breaking that directive.)

The COVID-19 cases in our county are increasing rapidly and there is the threat that the Governor, local government, or health district will take action to move us back a stage.

Overnight, so much changed, so, I retreated. I retreated to Psalm 46.  It begins this way, “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.” [CSB]

 When trouble abounds, the LORD God Almighty is our refuge and strength.  He is “always found” in times of trouble. As the NKJV says, He is an “ever-present help in the time of trouble.”

 How do we survive the troubles that accompany this life?  The only way I know to not just survive, but joyfully thrive amid the troubles is by retreating into the loving arms of Almighty God. When I reach out to Him, I find that He is always right there with me – ever present – and watching over me, ready to take my hand and guide me through.

I am not able to sufficiently answer to everyone’s satisfaction the “why” to that age-old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people.” But I am reassured that when bad things do happen, God is my refuge. God is my strength. God is my helper. God is always with me, in good times and in times of trouble.

Amen and Amen.

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The Better Way

by TerryLema

I am amazed at how relevant Psalm 118 is to our present situation with the threatening virus in our midst and the panic in many places because of it. When I needed an attitude adjustment a while back, after succumbing to the world’s message for a couple days, God took me to Psalm 118. He reminded me that today, this day, is His day, just as all the others are. If I keep my thoughts and attitudes secured in Him, I can rejoice rather than be frustrated or fearful.

He also reminded me to pray through Psalm 118, so today’s prayer will be centered on verses 8-9: “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.”

As I read those verses again this morning, my immediate thought was “where am I looking for answers?” Am I looking to man, to scientists, to doctors for a cure for this virus that is in our midst? Am I looking to politicians to set us free from our shelter-in-place directives? Just whom am I trusting to get through this virus-and-fear-pandemic?

This pandemic has certainly lowered our focus from the heavenlies to what is happening all around us. We seek daily news reports trying to learn if someone has found a vaccine or a treatment. We wonder each day when the shelter-at-home directives will be lifted and we can return to our normal lives, jobs, school, church. By lowering our focus to these issues (which granted are important issues) we move our trust from the LORD to men.

We must be aware of these things, but the most vital of all issues is where we are placing our trust, where we are taking refuge. It is, as the psalmist reminds us, better to take our refuge in the LORD. He is the one who will give the scientists the knowledge and wisdom to find the cure. He is the one who will govern where this country is heading. He is sovereign over all things.

Today, I am praying that my focus remains on the LORD; that the peace, the joy, the security I so long for is found in Him. I am praying that He supplies men and women with the knowledge to overcome this virus, and politicians with the wisdom to re-open this nation. But whatever men do … He will still be my refuge and I can, I will, trust in Him.

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Let’s Glorify God

by TerryLema

If there is a question we should be asking right now, it is, “how do we glorify God in the midst of this crisis?”

And yes, it is a crisis in the sense of the definition: a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.

No matter how this crisis began, it is ours now. As Christians we should be leading the way. We should see this as opportunity to do good and to show courage and strength amid all the fear around us. We can use Abraham as our model. Paul wrote of him, “He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” [Rom 4:20-21 NIV]

Abraham believed God for the son God promised him, even though he and Sarah were way beyond child-bearing years. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham.

God will fulfill His promise to us. This is a good time to show those in bondage to fear, those who are acting out their fears with inappropriate behaviors, that our God is good and that we glorify Him when we believe His promises.

Ps 9:9-10: “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Ps 119:114: “You [LORD] are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

Heb 13:5-6: “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man [or disease] do to me?’”  

 Indeed, let’s be brave and glorify God … He is our refuge, shield, hope, stronghold, and ever present help.

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