Wednesday, September 24, 2014

God Is Our Refuge



As I sat one saturday morning looking out my backdoor, I noticed how the heavy rain poured down.  While I sat there enjoying the sound and solitude of the rain, I noticed in the tree to the left of my back porch, there purched were various birds of different species, sitting and waiting for the rain to let up.  Some sat calmly on only one limb and others jumped around to various branches irritated with the rain.

What intrigued me about the birds the most was that no matter how hard the rain poured down on them, they were determined to wait out the heavy rains and remain safe.

At times it seemed as if the rain was going to drown them.  Yet again, some of the birds did not seem to be bewildered by the down pour while others expressed their discontent. However, for the most part they took it in stride. For almost an hour they would shake the water off their feathers and thier head continuing to wait patiently for it to stop. Had they moved from where they were, perhaps they could have suffered a greater demise of some sort. The wind could have weighed down their little wings drenched with the rain making it even more difficult to fly through the showers. Instead, they recognized that the best place for them to remain "safe" and covered by shelter, was to wait in the tree provided by God for them.  

God is a very present help and Jesus is our solid foundation which provides  and cares for our souls in the same manner. When the trials of life seem to overwhelm or overtakes us we do not have to become discouraged, disillusioned or despairing. We can look into the face of Jesus to calm every storm. Don't look at what you face in this life as being "just life" or believe that all you will ever have is "just trouble" in your life.  Our "real life" is hid with Jesus.  While you are here on this earth, you can still enjoy life.....but not life as in the way "the world" expects you live. Live life each and every day to the glory of God.  Seeking Him, loving Him, experiencing His joy and peace for your life. Jesus has also prepared a far better life for all of us which is "Eternal Life" spent with our Father in heaven.

God extends his love, compassions and protection to us  as the tree provided shelter to the birds. God cares for our souls and the very number of hairs on our head our numbered. God has enabled and equipped us to go through and to bear the trails of life that seem to pour down at times as rain.  Don't get me wrong, rain is not a bad thing. God created the rain for cleansing, purifying, and provision for the land. 

Jesus shedded his blood on calvary to cleanse us in the same way from our sins and to make us whole through repentance and His forgiveness for our sins.  Jesus offers to us as well reconciliation back to our Father in heaven through a better covenant. As with the branches of a tree for the birds, God's strenght is able to help us maintain our stand in faith and not quit nor give up when trouble arises. He is our refuged!

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.

Jesus is our greatest example on how to endure suffering or trials. Jesus suffered and died for our sins, and even though His natural body may have grown weary, but by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was endowed with glory from our Father in heaven to fulfill the Father's will and to offer to everyone salvation through His atoning death on the cross.  We can trust Jesus to protect and to enable us to endure every trial, every sickness or circumstance in this life through faith in Jesus.  The things that afflict us in this life are temporal, momentary and will not destroy us unless we fail to place our hope and trust in Jesus. We have learn a lesson from the birds and to allow those things to just run off and down our backs. Holding on to them will hinder us. Also, we must pray to our Father and seek His counsel through everything.  Praise Him for everything even when you don't want to or "feel" like it. We are to Rejoice in the Lord at ALL times!  That keeps are hearts and minds focused and steadfast.  If we only recieve good all the time, then how can we every appreciate the experiences of the bad which are only to help us grow stronger in Christ?

The birds understood that as long as they stayed in the shelter of the tree where they were, that they would be protected and would not suffer harm.  They did not try to be self sufficient in their own ability. They relied on the tree brances to hold and cover them.

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned: neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

The appearance of things that we see in the natural or experience in the natural can cause us to doubt God's favor and love for us creating unbelief.  The Bible says, that God will never leave us nor forsake us......that means that He is committed to us and desires for us to be in covenant with Him. We are His children. He has a perfect will and plan for our life which cannot be changed for our life as long as we staff on His path.  

In closing we have security in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!

Psalm 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2) I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3) Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4) He sall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5) Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night: nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6) Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon day. 7) A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.  8) Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9) Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation: 10) There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling, 11) For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12) They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.  13) Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14) Becuase he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliever him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15) He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16) With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

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