Finding Shelter

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? 
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked advance against me to devour me, 
it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. 
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; 
though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.  One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, 
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.  Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.” (Psalm 27:1-6 NIV)

As I awoke this morning, I heard the wind howling and saw the snow blowing. The outside temperature was in the teens.  Thankfully, I was safe inside.  The heat pump was on and the house was warm.  It is on these types of mornings that I am particularly grateful for shelter.  My house protects me from the elements, whether a raging snowstorm, bitter cold, or pouring rain.  And if I am caught out in the open during a storm, I will immediately seek to find shelter to protect me.

Jesus says our lives will be filled with trouble (John 16:33) and, speaking from personal experience, I have definitely found that to be true.  Not every day, mind you, but often enough.  And I am guessing this is true for you as well.  So where do we go when we are in trouble, when we find ourselves unprotected in this world?  

The Scriptures refer several times to God being our shelter, One to whom we can run to in times of trouble.  What a wonderful promise! When the storms of tragedy, heartbreak, and suffering roll into our lives, we have a place to run, a place of safety and comfort.  When we are overwhelmed by life, we are not stranded and on our own.  The Lord is there to shelter us.  All we have to do is run to Him.  And therein lies the rub.  

Many of us try to handle the storms of life on our own.  We attempt to find other means of shelter when trouble comes.  I once knew a woman who, as her troubles increased, so did her frenetic activity.  She attempted to busy herself to avoid dealing with her troubles.  Others seek shelter in relationships, alcohol, drugs, pornography, or food. These things may provide temporary relief, but as many find, instead of sheltering one from trouble, they create more.

Today, know God is the only real shelter against the storms of this life. So the next time you find yourself in trouble, run to Him.  He is your only real protection.

© Jim Musser 2016