Our Secret Place

I receive daily emails from a ministry that sincerely seeks God for His daily thoughts. These were the words God gave them for us yesterday that really resonated within my heart: “When you feel vulnerable, make a concerted effort to do what it takes to be as safe as possible. However, you must not forget that abiding in Me is your ultimate security. I am your safe harbor in the midst of a storm. Come and hide yourself in Me, says the Lord." ~~ Psalm 27:5 “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”

Like me, do you ever feel vulnerable – even just a little bit? My vulnerable times are when I come home late at night and have that initial eerie feeling of walking into my dark home; driving in torrential rain; waiting for a doctor’s diagnosis; when I’m speaking up in a meeting; or the times when I’m about to go on stage to speak for an event. And, what I do to be and feel as safe as possible, is to pull out the “big girl antidote” of praying for the sense of peace that comes from He Who is our peace.

God really is our safe place and when we abide in Him, He does bring us ultimate security. I love that line “Come and hide yourself in Me!” I was with my computer technician yesterday and while he was explaining new features he had added to my computer, I was explaining my 911 emergency number to him. It’s Psalm 91:1 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” When I need peace and a sense of safety, I quickly resort to my Secret Place – to the place and to the One who quickly restores my peace.

The shepherd boy, David, and later, King David, knew that peace from an early age. And so did I. I don’t know what’s going on in your world today, but I’m quite sure I know that there will be times when you feel vulnerable and afraid. But, rather than staying there, we quickly realize those feelings don’t come from God, and we, assertively demobilize them by placing them in God’s hands in the Secret Place and sweet peace comes. It’s not a mind-over-matter moment. It’s a God-over-matter moment.

At my church, we say “The peace of the Lord be with you” and in reply we say, “and with your Spirit”. That is – God’s peace be with you – spirit, soul and body! That’s the full meal deal God gives us – without measure when we go to His “secret place”.

Peace I Give To You

Day 110 of Photo Inspirations -- Safe Harbor
By tonight, we will have been travelling on the Atlantic Ocean 7 days.  We were detoured from Halifax, Nova Scotia because of the low pressure system, but tomorrow we'll be docking in the Azores, Portugal.  It's okay with most all of us, because Nova Scotia has 3 feet of snow and the Azores will be in the 70s.  We welcome that climate.  Then we'll be heading on to Ireland.  I'm really look forward to being there.  My grandparents were Irish, so maybe you could say I'm heading toward my family "roots".  These are a few pics of my friends and I enjoying this beautiful ship.  By no means is anyone complaining about being aboard this little city.  The food, the entertainment, the activities, and the comfortable areas all over make for a beautiful and restful experience.  We've had four time zone changes and will have others before getting to Denmark on May 2nd.

I've been talking a lot about staying in peace.   I've loved water skiing -- I could do some pretty awesome moves as a slalom water skier, but as I look out the windows of this ship, I see some pretty rough waters -- white capping.    I would have never attempted skiing on waters like these.   But inside this ship -- we don't even notice the rough waters.  It is stable.  I'm sitting at the table in the dining room as I type this.  I just finished my breakfast and the glasses and the dishes on the table weren't moving a bit -- even my coffee and orange juice aren't moving inside the glasses and cups.   It is a stable place of comfort and peace.

And, in the matters of life, as long as I fix my thoughts on my Prince of Peace, I'm stable and at peace.  I know the world's peace depends on calm seas, favorable circumstances, getting our way, things going as expected, with very few manageable challenges.  That sounds all sweet and nice, but as soon as our "apple cart gets turned over", the world's peace tends to dissipate and we are left with anxiety and concern.  But here's the peace I know well -- the peace Jesus gives.  That peace helps me face circustances with a quiet confidence that guides me -- not contingent on what's going on around me, but what's inside me -- better yet, WHO'S inside me. Jesus said, "Peace, I give you -- my peace I give you -- not as the world gives I you!  Let not your heart be troubled."   John 14:27

My Lighthouse & Safe Harbor

Day 109 of Photo Inspirations -- My Lighthouse & Safe Harbor
As I walked on the treadmill this morning, I saw on Fox News that a ship full of migrants to Italy capsized and all lost their lives in efforts to save their lives.

In my devotion, I later read this in John 6 "The crowd got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus."  They, too, were looking for a safe harbor.  They were looking for peace, healing, comfort and a new way of living.

Here I am on this luxury-liner cruise ship -- all needs met, comfort and security -- but I could be here, and not know Him -- and be lost on the seas of my life -- longing for inner peace and rest in my soul. How grateful I am that when I searched, I found that safe place in the person of Jesus Christ, and what a difference it made in my life.

Most importantly, no matter what ship of life we may be on.....we can know Him Who is Refuge, Him Who is Fortress.    He is with us for the journey.  He is OUR Capernaum.  He is our lighthouse and safe harbor.