Finding refuge and shelter

I’ve always enjoyed watching scary movies. You know the ones where one of the characters is walking in a dark, gloomy, old house. In my mind I’m telling the character this isn’t such a good idea. Something is bound to happen that will terrorize them and most likely make me jump, spilling my popcorn.

The psalmist writes about terrible things much worse than scary movies. Flying arrows, snares, deadly pestilence and destruction are terrors that he faces. The psalmist then uses the metaphor of a bird’s wings to illustrate God’s protective shelter in the face of these terrors.

Life’s problems can feel pretty terrifying at times, and God sometimes guides us to people who are feeling overwhelmed. Spending time with that person, giving reassuring hugs, and praying together can help encourage them that God’s protective wings surround them.

Thank you for providing us shelter and refuge in the form of caring friends and family. May we be receptive to people we encounter who need your comfort. Amen. — DR