Thursday, March 31, 2016

My refuge and my fortress

Submitted by David Miller
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Throughout the years we’ve all heard the question asked just before the 10 o’clock news: “Do you know where your children are?”   Well, these days I usually answer the question with a resounding, yet somewhat saddened, “NO!”  I do not know where my children are!  That’s not because I’m a bad dad (at least I like to think not). But, it’s because most of my children are grown and carrying on their lives outside of my home.  Currently, one is in California, one is in Kaufman, Texas, one in Saginaw, Texas and the other still at home.  When the children were younger, we pretty much always knew where they were, especially 10 o’clock at night.  In fact, we prided ourselves on knowing where they were. However, as time has gone by and our children have become independent, the amount of time we do not know where they are has increased as well.  It’s just the way life goes as our children grow up and branch out on their own. 
But, what if we asked God the question, “Do you know where your children are?” He will always answer, “Absolutely!”  Our heavenly Father always knows where His children are all the time. He sees all things and He knows all things. He sees and knows the joys of our lives, the struggles we are facing, the temptations we are battling, the good that we are doing, and the sins we are committing. 
He always knows where His children are!  Because of this, He is always there for us.  He is always ready to lift us up, strengthen us, implant courage in us, or just hold us and let us cry in His arms. The Psalmist wrote, You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways…Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me; your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 119:1-3, 7-10 – NIV)
We are blessed beyond measure to have the God of creation, the One who simply spoke the universe into existence, watching over us.  What an awesome thought to dwell on!  God, in His majesty, loves us enough to know us by name and always knows where we are, even in the roughest spots of our lives.  He is our strength and refuge.  Psalms 46:1 tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” Christian songwriter and recording artist, Dallas Holm, penned it this way.  The eyes of God are upon me, He sees everything I do. The arms of God are around me, they keep me safe and secure. And He knows where I am every hour of every day He knows each thought I think He knows each word that I might say. And although there've been times I've been out of His will I've never been out of His care.”
So no matter the hurt, no matter the need, no matter the circumstance, He knows where we are and He stands ready to be our very present help, right now.

Scripture to Claim:
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28

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