A Shelter in the Storm

Dear Faith Family,

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, (Psalm 46:1).

“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” There were animals everywhere. With delight we watched the otters play. The monkeys swing. The rhino pace. The alpacas eat. But more than anything else, we watched the smiling face of our granddaughter! I’m not quite sure if the zoo is a place for us to watch the animals or for the animals to watch us.

Enjoying an overcast field trip was interrupted first by a sprinkle and then a sure enough rainstorm. Bummer, right? Well, not necessarily. When it began to sprinkle, we found ourselves just outside of the koala exhibit. And that proved to be rather strategic. See, the koala exhibit was housed inside of a building. You know, complete with air conditioning and its own umbrella, otherwise known as a roof.

We took shelter inside with the koala bears. There we weathered the storm. Cool. Dry. Comfortable. There we watched the bears sleep. It was safe there.

The psalmist (Psalm 46) reminds us that our God is our refuge, a hiding place. A shelter. An umbrella. He did not promise to remove the storms of this life. But He did promise that He is a more than adequate shelter for us.

Got any storms? Uncomfortable news? Insurmountable obstacles? Crushing circumstances? Heart-breaking losses? Anxiety producing posts? Unwelcome phone calls? Disturbing developments? Go ahead, take some time to name your anxious thoughts.

And then, listen to the psalmist! God is our refuge! Pick up His Word today and crawl up in His lap – He’s big enough. Not only is God capable of handling your storms, not only is He aware of your storms, God longs to hear from you about your storms. He loves to listen and to answer! Tell Him what concerns you.

Under His refuge is the only safe place in the storm. Cast your care upon Him for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Under His refuge,

Pastor Karl