Shelter

Over the past few days the Lord has been bringing this passage to my mind. In this crazy world, we are often bombarded with more than we feel we can handle. We feel overwhelmed, worn out, frightened and defeated. Far too often, we wonder if the Lord is even there. Perhaps we feel like God is testing us, or sending us a trial to toughen us up. It seems that our prayers are too often a cry for help that we send to the heavens in hope that God will get back to us in time. But that is not how we are instructed to handle the storms of life.

The Storms of Life...

That is the image Jesus gives us in Matthew 7:24-27,

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Is your life founded on the principles handed down in God's Word? That is the instruction we find from Jesus in this parable. It is the principle that the Lord has been pressing upon me all week. When your life is founded upon the promises of God, the storms of life cannot destroy you. 

What is very important to notice in this passage is this: the storms will come. Jesus never promises us that life will be sunny all of the time. But He impresses upon us that our defense against the issues of life is a strong Biblical foundation. I believe that there are too many cracks in our foundation. Too many religious ideas have filtered into our Churches. God's promises have been made void by our traditions and religious philosophies. As a result, we have a lower sense of expectancy concerning the promises of God. Our foundations are weak, our roofs leaky. But this is not what God has for us.

In 1Corinthians 10:17, we find that God may allow trials in our lives. But we must always remember two things: Jesus is the author of life, not calamity (John 10:10); and God always has an escape plan ready for us (1Corinthians 10:17b). We should not be living lives of fear, anxiety, disease, failure, depression, oppression, or of any other demonic concoction this side of the Fall. That is not God's plan or will for the life of any Christian.

Jesus promises in John 16:33 that trials are a part of this fallen world. They will come at some point; but look what this verse says to us in the Amplified Bible: 

 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

This world has no power to conquer us, defeat us or kill us. Though issues may arise, God has given us His Word and His Presence as gifts designed to fight against these storms of life. It is up to each man or woman of God to learn how to walk in them. We are promised protection in His presence and strength from His Word. Have you been making time each day to dwell in His presence? 

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.

He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.

Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

 ~Psalm 91