Shelter

Psalm 9:9-10

“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble.

Those who know your name trust in you,

For you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.”

In times of trouble, when we are under attack, or when we start to fear, turn to GOD. Instead of picking up the phone to call someone, drop to your knees and call out to GOD. Words from friends can sometimes help, but only the name of GOD can save.

In the verse, "Those who know your ‘name’..."; name is a poetic symbol for the total person and personality it represents. Here it stands for the reliable character of GOD. We have to have faith to believe in the name of GOD and all that it stands for. GOD is waiting for every individual to know HIS name and to experience HIS love. Only one name can save, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13). To trust in the Lord is to confidently believe that HE will never leave you or abandon you.  It’s a walk of faith and in that walk; we learn to trust in GOD and not ourselves. We trust in GOD to fulfill his promises and to believe HIS word.

Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 7:7-8: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Notice how Jesus told us to ‘keep on asking’, keep on, if you haven’t received.  This is faith, to keep on asking for something that we haven’t received yet, Jesus told us to keep on asking, because HE knew we would get weary. HE told us to ‘keep on’ knocking as well, but the last part of that verse shows the outcome: And to EVERYONE who knocks, the door will opened.” We might not receive immediately or even weeks, months, years, but if we ‘keep on’ GOD is faithful and we will receive, that’s the walk of faith.

“Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles and the rulings he has given,” Psalm 105:4-5 In the verse "if we 'continually' seek him," the word 'continually' is translated from the Hebrew ‘tamid’, which is also translated to: all times, always, constantly, ever, perpetual, regularly. As long as we do our part to ALWAYS seek HIM (that means in the good times and not just the bad), HE will be faithful, “He always stands by his covenant- the commitment he made to a thousand generations.” Psalm 105:8. 

The original Hebrew word ‘misgab’ is translated to refuge, stronghold, an unassailable lofty/high tower. In military strategy; a place of complete safety, once you have entered that stronghold, you are sheltered from the attacks of the enemy. This doesn’t mean you won’t be attacked, but once you are in the Lord’s shelter, you will have GOD’s peace while the enemy attacks. Jesus told the disciples in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Once we receive HIS peace, then our faith is able to grow even stronger because we see that what happens around us doesn't matter anymore! Because the peace that GOD gives us is not effected by the surrounding circumstances, HIS peace is based on trusting in GOD and HIS word.

”The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.” Psalm 29:11

When we keep searching for God; when we remember HIS promises, HIS mercies and HIS grace he has given us; that is the place where we will find HIM. We must keep our hearts tender to HIS word and thankful for HIS blessings. By keeping our hearts open to HIM and HIS word, we will always have a place of refuge when those storm waters rise and the winds howl. We can have peace in GOD’s shelter, we will have strength for the enemey's attack, because we have clung to GOD’s promises and have put our trust in HIM. The Christian walk requires strength and faith and GOD has given us all we need to persevere. We were never promised that our life would be easy; we were just promised that we would be able to overcome.

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31