There are creatures that are skeptics by nature. When you encounter them, they run from you at full steam as if they feared for their lives. As I visited the Lowcountry of North Florida, I was walking beside a salt marsh. With each step on the boardwalk, hundreds of tiny fiddler crabs scattered in all directions away from me. They completely disappeared from my sight to where they felt safe. A squirrel with a big fat nut in its mouth crossed my path. He was so intent on his mission that he came within two feet of me before he stopped in his tracks, thought better of it, and ran back in the direction from which he came. An egret clan was grazing on marsh delicacies but decided my presence was more threatening than the lure of a good meal, so off they flew to a safer distance. Just like the fiddler crabs, the squirrel and the egrets sought safety. I began thinking, where do I run when I am afraid? Where do I feel safe?
In my lifetime, I have tried to run to things that definitely did not offer safety and security, perhaps you can relate to a few of these…
None of the things that were attempted achieved the goal of peace or satisfaction. However, as I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, who loves me madly, and has a purpose for each moment of my life, I have learned that my best and most secure place to run is to Him. No matter the circumstances, He will use them for His good plan. (Romans 8:28) He calms the storm, or calms His child.
In the Bible, David was a man who was anointed as king, so you would think he would “have it made” and never have any struggles. On the contrary, after his anointing by the prophet Samuel, scholars estimate that he waited between 12-15 years to become king of part of Israel, and around 20 years until he became king over all of Israel. During those long years, he endured mockery, combat, fame (after defeating Goliath and later the Philistines) that ultimately worked against him, and he had to run for his life from his predecessor, King Saul, who sought to kill him! Talk about being confused and feeling stress and conflict!
Yet David journaled during his times of depression and doubt, and we have the privilege of gaining insights from his writings through the Psalms. These journal entries helped him look back and see the Lord’s love and faithfulness. God never deserted him. God redeemed the difficult situations. God gave David the strength to endure. God gave him the courage to act rightly, instead of the way our human hearts often lead us to – revenge, isolation, bitterness, and/or wrath. THE LORD supplied his needs. He was David’s salvation time after time. So, when the next time came, David knew where to go for his sustenance: to THE LORD. The Lord’s character was always faithful. It wasn’t always easy, but David always had what he needed.
Psalm 139 is a beautiful summary of how David viewed the Lord, particularly during adversity. I encourage you to spend time sitting with the words that David wrote there. Verses 5-6 say, “You hemmed me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your spirit?” He goes on to poetically verbalize that he is so valued by the Lord that there is nowhere to go where God will not be with him. How does he know this? Experience.
In Psalm 62 he counsels whoever he speaks to and whoever might read his journal: “Trust in Him at all times, you people, pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” (vs. 8)
We will face things that cause us to fear. We can scurry off like the creatures I met, but in order to be truly secure, God is the one who is our rock and salvation, our fortress that allow us to not be shaken. (Psalm 62:2 and 6) Then we can say, as David did, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.” (Ps 62: 5)
