Refuge
God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Psalms 46:1
God is our refuge. How many times have we heard that? Sung that? Desired that? But what does it really mean? Webster's uses words like protection, safety, escape to define it. That is what God should be for me. He should be the place I run to when I am afraid or upset. He is my escape from whatever is troubling me, but He is not always where I turn to. As I said last post, these are the times I would run to DH. As as soon as I am upset or anxious, I pick up the phone and call him. Now certainly there are times that this is called for, but to tell him that I can't find my keys or that DS (dear son) has pushed my last button? It is not as if he can fax himself through the phone line or run home just to rescue me. No, these are the times that I need to stop and seek God. I need to call Him and ask for His guidance or help. Does God care about where my car keys are, not really; but, He does care about me and He wants to help, it says it right there in scripture. It doesn't say God is there when He can be or whenever He is finished somewhere else, it says He is ever present. In other words, He is always there, period. I really do not even need to call Him, I just need to speak, He is already there. Why do I waste time calling someone who is miles away, who is not even equipped to comfort, me when the One who is is right there and can comfort me in an instant and is waiting for me to call on Him?
This morning I had a moment where I was reaching my breaking point. DS simply would not listen to me, not matter what tactic I tried, and I had been through them all. In a moment of frustration, I snatched up my phone, finger poised on speed dial when I remembered Psalm 46:1, God is my refuge in trouble. I sat down, bowed my head and asked God to calm me and help me deal with the situation. He did. He instructed me to call DH. Yeah, I know this seemingly goes against what I just finished saying but hear me out. Instead of the usual frantic, panicked "get here now and do something" attitude I generally call with, I simply told DH what was going on and he talked to DS and told him what would happen if he did not start listening to Mommy. It worked. In the past I would have been yelling and screaming at poor DH that this was all his fault because blah, blah, blah but not today. Today, because I turned to the Lord first and he was there to comfort me in times of trouble, DH and I were able to work together to discipline our son, without damaging our marriage.
So what is the moral here, I must seek my escape from God and not DH or any one else. I must turn to Him first and ask for help, only then can I call on others. Only then can I expect DH to be ready to do what needs to be done (why you ask, because by going to God first, He can equip DH to handle it and open my heart to accepting it. See Isaiah 40, it's there!)
Lord, thank you for impressing Your word on my heart. Thank you for always being ever present. Thank you that I do not have to even call on You, You are simply there. Thank you for opening my eyes to what seeking Your shelter can do for me and my family. Lord, help me to always turn to You first, no matter the situation.
God is our refuge. How many times have we heard that? Sung that? Desired that? But what does it really mean? Webster's uses words like protection, safety, escape to define it. That is what God should be for me. He should be the place I run to when I am afraid or upset. He is my escape from whatever is troubling me, but He is not always where I turn to. As I said last post, these are the times I would run to DH. As as soon as I am upset or anxious, I pick up the phone and call him. Now certainly there are times that this is called for, but to tell him that I can't find my keys or that DS (dear son) has pushed my last button? It is not as if he can fax himself through the phone line or run home just to rescue me. No, these are the times that I need to stop and seek God. I need to call Him and ask for His guidance or help. Does God care about where my car keys are, not really; but, He does care about me and He wants to help, it says it right there in scripture. It doesn't say God is there when He can be or whenever He is finished somewhere else, it says He is ever present. In other words, He is always there, period. I really do not even need to call Him, I just need to speak, He is already there. Why do I waste time calling someone who is miles away, who is not even equipped to comfort, me when the One who is is right there and can comfort me in an instant and is waiting for me to call on Him?
This morning I had a moment where I was reaching my breaking point. DS simply would not listen to me, not matter what tactic I tried, and I had been through them all. In a moment of frustration, I snatched up my phone, finger poised on speed dial when I remembered Psalm 46:1, God is my refuge in trouble. I sat down, bowed my head and asked God to calm me and help me deal with the situation. He did. He instructed me to call DH. Yeah, I know this seemingly goes against what I just finished saying but hear me out. Instead of the usual frantic, panicked "get here now and do something" attitude I generally call with, I simply told DH what was going on and he talked to DS and told him what would happen if he did not start listening to Mommy. It worked. In the past I would have been yelling and screaming at poor DH that this was all his fault because blah, blah, blah but not today. Today, because I turned to the Lord first and he was there to comfort me in times of trouble, DH and I were able to work together to discipline our son, without damaging our marriage.
So what is the moral here, I must seek my escape from God and not DH or any one else. I must turn to Him first and ask for help, only then can I call on others. Only then can I expect DH to be ready to do what needs to be done (why you ask, because by going to God first, He can equip DH to handle it and open my heart to accepting it. See Isaiah 40, it's there!)
Lord, thank you for impressing Your word on my heart. Thank you for always being ever present. Thank you that I do not have to even call on You, You are simply there. Thank you for opening my eyes to what seeking Your shelter can do for me and my family. Lord, help me to always turn to You first, no matter the situation.
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