The ultimate safe place
by Pastor Stephen Abraham
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You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, say this: ‘God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!’ (Psalm 91:9,10)
If someone asked you, ‘Where is your safe place?’, what would you answer? Think about it. Maybe it is a location with meaning or a time in your life where you felt secure. It could be the presence of a loved one, by yourself, or a place from your past or somewhere you access now. Visualise it for a moment. Dwell on it. Why is it a safe place for you?
After having a complete mental and emotional breakdown 15 years back, this was one of the first questions that my psychologist asked me. It was part of his work in ‘rebuilding me’ – by firstly finding a place where I could go in my mind after the threatening and emotionally unsafe place that I had been in. What was my safe place? The sheep yards at my family farm! Yards that my grandfather put together with my father, which later my father and I rebuilt. It was a place where he and I spent long, tiring hours together. It was a place where I felt closest to my family history. It’s a place I can go to even now when I close my eyes.
Psalm 91 is about the ultimate safe place: the presence of the Almighty God! A place where nothing can touch us, whether they be threats that are physical, emotional, medical or psychological. ‘The Lord is my refuge!’ That word ‘refuge’ is interesting. It is a word we don’t use much. We might think of a domestic violence refuge or hear on the news that a family took refuge during a storm or fire, or maybe we think of a wildlife refuge. Its root in Latin is from refugere – ‘to flee away’. It is, of course, related to ‘refugee’ – someone fleeing to get to a safe place!
There has been a lot of threats in our world of late. The current pandemic threatens us physically and medically, and the isolation and fear for our safety or those we love threatens us emotionally and psychologically. Many have had to seek refuge, either shut up in homes, medi-hotels or hospitals. It has been frightening and frustrating.
But my sisters and brothers, there is a safe place where nothing can touch us: the mighty arms of our God! In eternity with the Eternal, we are safe. No matter what happens, take heart! ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble’ (Psalm 46:1).
Almighty and powerful Father, you still hold the whole world in your hands. You hold me in your hands. With you, I am safe. With you, I am secure. With you, nothing can touch me. Holy Spirit, blow away my fears. Fill my heart with the secure knowledge of your salvation in Christ Jesus. In his name, we pray. Amen.
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