I’ve mentioned before that I’m a school teacher. As this summer rapidly comes to a close, I’ve been thinking of many of the workshops and training sessions the faculty members at my school will be required to participate in when we return to our school buildings. Several of these trainings and workshops will focus on school safety in the event of severe weather or even an armed intruder. Each of our workshops and trainings focused on these dangerous scenarios presents faculty and staff with a list of protocols to follow to ensure the safety of all those who are present at such a time. One of these protocols is simply to shelter in place.
Take, for example, a severe weather drill, specifically a tornado drill. When my students and I practice this drill, we are to seek shelter against an interior wall of my building where we crouch down and basically huddle against the wall until the danger has passed. We are NOT to run about in a panic trying to escape the impending storm. Instead, we are to shelter in place, allowing that interior wall to shield us from all of the dangers associated with a tornado. Obvious dangers like violent winds and torrential rains and flying debris and poor visibility. Insidious dangers like uncertainty and chaos and fear.
Lately, life has been kind of like a tornado. The winds are whipping about; the rain is pouring down; debris is flying everywhere. Visibility is poor. Uncertainty and chaos and fear are real, bearing down on me and my family relentlessly. Yet, through it all, maybe in spite of it all, God has shown me the way forward: Shelter in place.
To take shelter implies going somewhere for cover and protection until a danger has passed, taking refuge. In His word, God reminds us time and time again that He is our refuge. He is that place, the only place, where we can truly find shelter and protection from the storms of life. Let’s look at these scriptures together. In Psalm 32:7, King David describes God as our hiding place. David writes, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me….” (Psalm 27:5). To put this into perspective, think back to when you were a child playing hide and seek. Can you remember the absolute best hiding place you ever had? Wasn’t it awesome to outsmart your siblings and friends, maybe even your parents by hiding away so perfectly that no one could find you? If you are like me, maybe that hiding place was so good, so secure that you even found yourself falling asleep, totally confident in the fact that no one would be able to find you. That is exactly what hiding in God looks like! Because He is the perfect hiding place! When you are hiding in God, you can rest assured knowing that no enemy, no danger, no storm can or will ever find you there! How awesome is that??!!
Not only is God our hiding place, but, in Psalm 46, the sons of Korah write, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling” (1-3). Did you catch that? A refuge and a strength! Did you notice the storm in those verses? The waters roaring? The earth trembling? God is our refuge and strength in the midst of the storm!! He doesn’t just provide refuge and strength….He is my refuge. He is my strength. Because, let’s face it, I am not strong enough to face the storm, to face my enemies on my own. But God is. God is the strength I need to face my enemies, to face the fear and the chaos and the storms of life. How awesome to know that I don’t need to face anything, any storm, any sickness, any fear with my own feeble strength. Because He is my strength! God is absolutely the only thing I need…He is ALL I need! And He is all you need today as well!
So, God is my hiding place….He is my refuge. He is also my strong tower. King Solomon, in Proverbs 18:10, writes, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Can you picture this? I can! I can see a strong fortification, impervious to attacks from any enemy. As the storms of life gather, as those enemies of fear and doubt and turmoil pursue me, I can see myself running into that strong tower. I can hear the doors slam shut behind me. I can hear the locks click. And best of all, I can see myself safely sheltered inside, secure and protected within the walls of that tower, secure and protected within the arms of my God. Because He is that place of safety, that place of refuge, that place of shelter. My place of shelter. My strong tower.
I don’t know what the view is out your window today. Are there storm clouds just beginning to gather on your horizon? Or are you in the midst of the storm? Are the winds already roaring? Are the waters already rising? Is your visibility poor today? Wherever you are, whatever you see, I encourage you today to shelter in place….in THE place! Take shelter in your Hiding Place. Take refuge in your God. Run to your Strong Tower. Huddle down and wait out the storm, knowing that God is your strength.
If you need a little more encouragement, look up these scriptures as well. Write them out. Maybe even memorize them. Let God speak to your heart. Let His word wash over you and bring you peace and comfort today. And if you need someone to stand with you in prayer, let me know. I would be happy to add my faith to yours today!
Psalm 91:1-4
Psalm 32:6-8
Psalm 46:1-4
Isaiah 25:4
Isaiah 41:10