Refuge from the Storm

Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.  And I say, “O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; truly, I would flee far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find a shelter for myself from the raging wind and tempest." Psalm 55:5-8 (NRSV)

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?" Matthew 14: 25-31 (NIV) 

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”... He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. ... If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. Psalm 91:1-2, 4, 9-10 (NIV)

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV) 

When the Coronavirus “storm” hit Lincoln full force this spring, strong gusts of fear began blowing my way. With my husband and my dad both being high risk, these gusts were rattling at my door...yelling about all the things that could go wrong. I became terrified! 

At first, I ran and “hid under the covers”, like a child afraid of a thunderstorm. I thought maybe I could just squeeze my eyes shut, curl up in a warm, comfy ball and wait for the storm to pass. This is a familiar scenario for me. I hide out inside myself, try to push aside my fears and hope they'll just go away.  But, unfortunately, this place of refuge only provides a brief respite. The fear comes blowing back and begins to overwhelm me once again.

Finally, I remember. Like Peter, I'm supposed to keep my eyes on Jesus, not on the wind and waves. As I do, I hear Him say, “Take courage, it is I. Don't be afraid.” So I hop out from under the covers, shoot up many heartfelt prayers and head to the refuge of God's sheltering wings. For when I decide to reside in Him, fully trusting in His faithfulness and protection, my fears will be quieted.  The “storm” may rage on, but I'll (put on my mask and) face it with the courage and strength He will provide. 

Prayer: God of Refuge and Strength, forgive us for running away and hiding when we're afraid. Help us remember, instead, to always run directly to the shelter of your wings. During this especially scary time, we thank you for the many ways you have provided us courage, comfort, peace, strength, love...everything we need. Amen.

Sharon Irvin  (photo below shared by Sharon, photo credit unknown)