"What Is God's Care/Protection Like?"

What is God’s Care/Protection Like?”

Psalm 71:1-6

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me and save me.

We all know what it is like to seek refuge.  Perhaps you have been driving out on the interstate and a vicious storm appears with significant hail.  You might try to stop under the nearest overpass to prevent any hail from damaging your car.  Perhaps you've gotten in trouble with your mom and run into your room and slam the door behind you.  Refuge takes many forms.

So, ask yourself in this passage from Psalm 71 how this psalmist feels about God's care and protection.  If the psalmist is saying he takes refuge in the LORD, then we know a couple of things.  1) He feels safe and protected when he calls on the LORD. 2) There is something in his world that makes him need to seek refuge in the LORD.

What is God's care and protection like?  It is like a safety net. It is a sanctuary. It is comforting and reassuring. We feel listened to and protected in the arms of this God.  Think of the safest place you can imagine being and the safest people you can imagine being there with.  This is how the psalmist envisions God's care and protection.

If we are called to be God's hands and hearts in the world, how could we help people in our midst feel this high level of safety, comfort, and security.  What can we actively do to let people know that we are here to offer the safety net of God's love to them?  And, how do we offer such protection to those who feel unsafe?

Comments?  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment below.