Gleanings of Grace

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"Handle With Care"

 

As I sat down to meditate on  Psalms 16 the first thing that spoke to me was the psalmist's asking for protection and refuge.  I would like to challange you to examine with me who or what you take refuge in.  Please get out a piece of paper and your Bible  and join me as I examine what it means to take refuge in God.

This Psalm is was written most likely by David as a reminder of God's protective covering.  It was thought to be spoken as a prayer and meditated on to reveal God's special protection of His loved ones.

Safe: Some synonyms of safe are protected,unharmed, unmolested,shielded, & sheltered.

 

Here are some other Psalms that you can look up that have to do with the Lords safety:

Psalms 12:7-Lord you will keep us safe and protect us forever.

Psalms 27:5-In the day of trouble God will keep me safe in his dwelling. He will hide me in his tabernacle, set me high on a rock-

• Make a list of things you have learned about God's safety.

1.God will protect me~~ What will God protect you from?  Make a list.  Think about external protection but also about protection from yourself. What are things that you do that you may need protection from?*hint*thought patterns, bad habits,unhealthy friendships.

2.God will hide me in His presence~~ How does the Lord "hide me in His presence"? Is this literally,symbolic or both. List passages of where His presence was noted.

3.He will set me out of harms reach with my feet planted firmly the Rock!~~ Recall and list the various times that He has set your feet on firm ground and rescued you from harms way.

Refuge: Some synonyms are asylums,cloistered,retreat, sanctuary, harborage.A place of protection- God is our protection,our hiding place. 

• Read these passages.  Make a list of what His refuge means for you.

Psalms 2:12, 7:1, 11:1, 25:20, 27:8, 34:8, & 64:10.

If God is my refuge He will...

1. Save me. Who/What does he save me from?
2. Deliver me from those who pursue me. What are the things in your life that are pursuing you?
3. I have no need to fear. List the reasons why you do not need to fear. *hint* God's character.
4. He will guard my life.  Meditate the ways that God will/has guarded your life in the past...

Actions I can take:

Because I take refuge in God, I will be...

1. Blessed by Him. Acknowledge the ways the Lord has blessed you often."I will sing of the mercies of the Lord!"
2. I will not be afraid. Choose not to fear the things that seem to be pursuing you.
3. Not run to do what appears to be right...but wait on Him to deliver me. Choose to wait on the Lord to deliver you.
4. I will not be put to shame. I refuse to be ashamed of what the Lord is performing in my life for my benefit!
5. I will be delivered and saved. Count on it!  Wait for it!   Look  forward to it!  And when it happens give God the Glory!!
6. My heart will rejoice. Choose to rejoice in the Lord the salvation He has given you.  Glory in what He has done for you and others.

Taking refuge in God is an act that I do.  It is a step I take into the open arms of God.  He will not force me to take refuge .  It is a step that I take.  Have you chosen to take refuge in the Lord? 

  Personal note: In the past and even in the present- I have not taken refuge in God.  A dear saint in the Lord once said to me when hard times fell " Shelley, lean into the Lord."  For literally years I did not understand   what that meant.  Then the Lord showed me that I did understand in the earthly sense but not the spiritual sense. I lean into my husband.  I run to him.  I pour out my heart to him.  The hard times we have been through have caused me to be closer to him.  I see now that is exactly what the Lord wants to do for me.  In each situation we must CHOOSE to run to the Lord.  Can it be said of you and I that our soul clings to God as in Psalm 64:8? 

Prayer:

Lord, let it be that I run head long and free into your arms. Create in me a heart that desires to run from the barren land of my handling the situations of my life, into the verdant land of your loving refuge and safety.

Amen