I ran to the hill but lo, the rocks were falling apart
I jumped down the valley but roiling ran me out
I crawled into the cave but trouble was the lord
I made for the highway but misfortune mounted
An atrocious roadblock, I took the bush path
Almost crippled by snares with hideous jaws
I beckoned on daylight and found no hiding place
I hid behind darkness but my neighbors were terror
In and out, up and down, here and there, all the time
Danger lurking everywhere; nowhere to hide,
No place secure, no place on earth, exempt.
In the face of seemingly increasing ugliness of evil, it appears fear has become the norm. Everybody is afraid and it seems they have been afraid for so long that it is now considered part of the times we live in. And persisting violence fosters such theories. Atrocities that once prowled are audaciously claiming defiled home, deserted streets, and routed territories, making a show of cruelty. They strut about spreading the gospel of defeat and depression while princes hide in caves, wondering what next and for how long.
I am not aware of any location called safety. Every spot on planet earth is under distressing times. So the issue is not with the place, it is in the times. Running helter skelter won’t solve it. And when you have to run, spiritual insight is an indispensable asset because things are not always as they appear. A quiet place may be a time bomb waiting to explode. A rowdy one may just be that – all noise and no show. Some loud eruptions are one off and are so brief while seemingly harmless ones linger with catastrophic consequences. Global predictions don’t always get it right so you can’t vest your trust in those. There is only one hiding place where the righteous run to and are safe – under the shadow of God’s wings. Now where is that?
It is not some designated location you should relocate to. It is a location discovered through intimacy with the Almighty. That communion raises you to the point where you can hear His voice through the storm saying, “Peace, be still. Don’t move, don’t go yet,” or “Flee now, as fast as your legs can carry you.” This is as real as our everyday encounters. It takes faith and patience to nurture but it is possible. Don’t let fear toss you around, running from pillar to post because there is no hiding place except God. He may lead you to hide today, to run tomorrow, to arise and fight the next, and so on and so forth. You have to be rightly positioned to receive those alerts from Him. None can receive it for you and you can’t run a personal race on another man’s legs. You need your own legs; to find them, nurture them, and use them as God directs.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower, our place of safety from where we can strategize and launch out to confront these mercenaries and stop advancing assaults on our health, faith, families, business, and life at large. You may be hearing and feeling the natural impacts of these assaults but it is a spiritual warfare and our weapons are not carnal. They are mighty through God and are designed to pull down strongholds, cast down imaginations, and make an end of things that seek our untimely end.
You can’t fight evil with evil. Righteousness is both a defense and a weapon. Stop searching for what another will do for you. Find what you can do to help with what you have, right where you are. Let God’s Spirit and Word guide you to the place of safety even in hazardous conditions. If you run along like everyone else, you may be taken by stray shots of the enemy. And at the very least, you can adorn your full armor and stand upon your watch wherever that is; the coat of righteousness, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit, shield of faith, belt of truth, and the boots of readiness to go with the gospel of peace, fervently and watchfully persevering.
The world’s best event predictors can’t tell the times better than God who made heaven and earth and all in it. For some, it is easier to trust in man than to trust God. Yet, faith in God is key to our survival in these perilous times. In a world darkened by evil, by hatred and quest for revenge, God is all we have.
He is the only one who knows the end from the beginning. He is the only one who can be there for you, in places where no other can reach. He is the only hope of reprieve in a world that gets tougher by the day. He is the only assurance of safety through life’s precariousness and insecurities. There is enough bad news out there. I bring you comfort and encouragement, hot and fresh from above: there is no need to employ worry, doubt or fear. Those help no one. Instead, say to yourself, “Even in the midst of castings down, there is a lifting up for me. The lines have fallen for me in goodly places. There is no need to run around. I have a godly heritage.” Possess your heart in peace, secure your stand in Him: God is a sure help especially in times like this.
Are you afraid? Fear no more. Are you tired? Strength is here for you and when you get to the end of yourself, you will experience the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Let not fear send you home. Let not foolishness send you out. Instead, allow faith to order your steps. Not faith in supposed experts on global predictions, economies, and strategies but faith in the only and ever living God. Let the weak say, “I am strong!” Be bold and courageous. Be sensitive in your spirit, God is alive and well. He is faithful and able to preserve you and your household because your lives are precious in His sight. It is well with you! May our God strengthen your hands to work successfully, and train them to fight victoriously, until our enemy is discomfited, amen!
Glory!