4-19-2022

 Good Morning All!

    Jeremiah 16:19; “The Lord is my strength and my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”

    There is one thing that most people try to be aware of in the plains of the United States and that is where to go when a tornado is around. You either have a basement, or a strong interior wall. Some people have actual storm cellars that are there for protection. If you live in a development, there may even be a designated building for the purpose. It is important to know where to go when there is danger.

    Schools may have an “armed intruder” drill. It was in conjunction with the county sheriff; it was a learning experience for everyone. They may have a fire drill in conjunction with the local fire department. Yet it was a very important learning time. They were determining how to keep the students and staff safe. It is important to for everyone involved to know what the best plan for an intrusion of some sort.

    Most people have some sort of plan for when something catastrophic occurs, but it is usually only for those events that we expect. We expect stormy weather. We carry some form of a survival kit for winter driving. We are supposed to have some money saved for “unexpected events.”  Some people have some form of a generator for power outages. The problem with planning for disasters is that we always plan for the last disaster; it is impossible to plan for the next one because we can never be sure what it will be.

    That is the problem with our life; it isn’t as well scripted as we would like it to be. When we get married; it is supposed to be forever. But what happens when forever is only three years? What happens when illness strikes, and we no longer can move a leg or an arm properly? What happens when our ability to earn a living is gone and we have nothing left? What happens when the disasters we plan for don’t occur but the ones we don’t plan on do? Where do we find shelter? Where do we find refuge?

    Too often, we find our refuge in our own skills, knowledge, and abilities. We think we can conquer anything but what do we do when we are not that strong? Even the strongest storm cellar only protects for a few hours; what if it is weeks or months of ravaging storms?

     God is our only true refuge. When all of our phony “safe places” in this world fail, only God’s grace will truly protect us, even when we may struggle in holding onto that faith; God doesn’t let go. His love is our tower of strength. It is where our refuge place is. He is our only source of hope and comfort.

Dearest Jesus, you are our shelter and our hope. Give us the faith to hold onto that hope; to seek that refuge. We pray especially that for those who are struggling at this time. Be with them and let them know that their refuge is in you. All this we ask in your precious name, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret