resting anyway

Did you ever get an email forward that warned you of a dire plot by evil men to do you harm? They are fear mongering darts of dread and terror that sit in your inbox just waiting to try and make you shake in your boots.

The first time or two I received them I thought that I should be on the look out for the fear du jour. That would be prudent and responsible. Right? Shouldn't I look for HIV infected needles taped to gas pump handles? Watch out for the parking lot perfume seller who is spritzing his victims with ether so she can be robbed or worse? What about the gang initiation ruse with the flashing car headlights?

Have any of these things ever really happened? Honestly, I doubt it, but just because I doubt it does it mean there is no evil in the world and that we will never have dangerous situations to face? Of course not. The world is filled with evil, and there are plenty of lost human beings willing to carry it out.

The Bible offers us comfort and encouragement in the Lord as our protector and defender.

Psalms 3:1-4 O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him."But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.

Got enemies? He is a shield around us!

Need uplifting? Feeling weak? Therein lies the beauty. The Lord says when our strength is gone, He will be our strength. He is the lifter of our head! He bestows glory and lifts our head!

Lonely and scared? He answers us from His holy hill!

Sometimes circumstances in our lives seem to shake us to our very core. We feel overwhelmed and at the end of our strength and patience. We wonder how in the world will we EVER deal with this in the coming days and weeks, even months--years?

Remember the old hymn?

"Where could I go, Oh, where could I go. Seeking a refuge for my soul. Needing a friend to save me in the end. Where could I go but to the Lord?"

I'm so glad my strength and wisdom is not my own. I'm glad the Holy Spirit comforts us when we fear. I'm glad the Lord speaks to our hearts and encourages us. When we get that email or hear about something heinous on the evening news, we need not fear. We can cry out to God and rest in His protection.

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalms 4:8

Father, When we fear, where else could we go but to you? I love you and cry out to you in my hour of need. You are precious to me. I rest in you.

Suzanne