(shot taken on November 2010 at Herdsman Lake, WA)
Yesterday was
my usual “powerhouse laundry and cleaning” type of day. You know the type
when just spend the whole day keeping house. I popped in this fairly nice
movie, “Safe Haven” portrayed by Julianne Hough and Joash Duhamel, While
folding the new laundered clothes fresh from the dryer. A suspenseful
movie about a young lady (Katie) trying to escape from an abusive husband who
beats her to pieces. Her past sets her on a fearful, shattering journey
across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. She then landed into
this remote place and met a widower (Alex) forces her to confront the dark
secret that haunts her. As Katie begins to fall for Alex more and more,
she is still haunted by her past and isn't sure what her next move should be.
Thus the melodrama begins.
“There's no
safer place for you than here with me.” These
were the words
of Alex when he found out everything about this woman.
Then, it made me
think.
I am still
settling down from a 4-week homecoming vacation and at several occasions, I
wish I didn’t have to come back to the “grind”. You see, I realized
coming back to work was my greatest FEAR: of making a mistake, of
the shift work and of not getting enough rest and sleep, of limited support
from the workplace, amongst the many qualms.
Then, it struck
me.
I have a friend
who is battling with stage 4 cancer. We all do not know how long he is
going to last. I saw him early this week and I was just torn into
pieces. He is only 30, young and full of dreams for his young family.
“Why? Why
Lord?” I was driving home baffled. I was trying to hold my tears. The query lingered in my mind until I came home. It brought
me down to my knees. I realized it could happen to me too!
“He will cover
you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful
promises are your armor and protection.” Psalm 91:4 NLT
He will cover
you with his feathers.
As birds do their young, who cannot cover
themselves. This they do from a tender regard to them, whereby they both
keep them warm, and protect them from those that would hurt them.
This represents
the helpless state of the children of God, who are, like to young birds, weak
and unable to defend themselves: the tender regard of God unto them, as the
eagle and other birds have to their young; and the warmth and comforts souls
have, as well as protection, under His powerful and gracious presence; He
comforts them under their tribulations, as well as defends them from their
enemies:
The psalm above
was speaking to me as if it were the same words uttered in the movie, “There’s
no safer place for you than here with me.”
The psalm can be
both victorious and confusing. It is a victorious psalm
because it is full of promises of God’s protection on those who turn to Him for
their refuge and was actually written as a song. On the other hand, it is quite
disturbing because so often it seems to not be the case in our life
experiences.
Life experiences
such as: Christians who pray for healing only to hear silence? Why do children
die of SIDS or have birth defects? Why is there so much suffering among people
who believe God is good and can always be trusted? Why do marriages that start
at the foot of the cross end up in devastating divorce leaving the children
torn and demoralized? And why this young friend suffer from stage 4
cancer leaving behind a beautiful wife and gorgeous son to fend for
themselves? Why?
Questions were
racing through my mind.
Bad things do
happen to good people. We live in an imperfect and fallen world and no one is
immune to the pains of life.
While we still
experience suffering and evil in this fallen world, God has promised divine
protection and deliverance. God will give complete security and victory
to the person who dwells in Him and puts his trust in Him (no matter what is
happening in the physical realm). Intimacy and faith will be the fruit of this
in our lives.
There is a
better place than in the misery, the pain, the heartbreak. Let us be
strong in the Lord and powerful in His might! If safety, security,
and love are not enough, maybe it isn't where you need to be, but I want that
place. There is a yearning in my heart to be closer than I have ever been to my
Lord. It does take diligence, and yes, time to get there, but once you achieve
this goal, you will KNOW just how precious and personal your walk with the Lord
can be.
And you know
what? There is one more extremely valuable commodity associated with being in
that secret place. PEACE!!!
PSALM 91 NLT
Those who
live in the shelter of the Most High
will find
rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I
declare about the LORD:
He alone is
my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God,
and I trust him.
For he will
rescue you from every trap
and protect
you from deadly disease.
He will cover
you with his feathers.
He will
shelter you with his wings.
His faithful
promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be
afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow
that flies in the day.
Do not dread
the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the
disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a
thousand fall at your side,
though ten
thousand are dying around you,
these evils
will not touch you.
Just open
your eyes,
and see how
the wicked are punished.
If you make
the LORD your refuge,
if you make
the Most High your shelter,
no evil will
conquer you;
no plague
will come near your home.
For he will
order his angels
to protect
you wherever you go.
They will
hold you up with their hands
so you won’t
even hurt your foot on a stone.
You will
trample upon lions and cobras;
you will
crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
The LORD
says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will
protect those who trust in my name.
When they
call on me, I will answer;
I will be
with them in trouble.
I will rescue
and honor them.
I will reward
them with a long life
and give them
my salvation.”
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