You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. - Psalm 32:7 (NIV)
We live next to a river, and across from our house three strong trees grow on the riverbank. In the evening I like to watch as flocks of ibis, cormorants, and other birds come to the trees to rest for the night. At times I have counted more than 60 birds flying into those trees, and yet when they are settled, not one bird can be seen. The trees offer a safe place for the night.
Like those birds, we often need a safe place — some shelter during the storms that life inevitably brings. We need a place to hide when we feel weary and worn. Just as those trees are safe resting places for the birds, so is God a refuge for me and for you, always there, a “hiding place.”
In God’s sheltering presence we are refreshed and restored as we pray and read the Bible.
When I look at those trees, I remember that God is always present for me — offering safety, rest, comfort, and refreshment. And I am grateful.
When I look at those trees, I remember that God is always present for me — offering safety, rest, comfort, and refreshment. And I am grateful.
The Author - Ann Stewart (South Australia, Australia) - from The Upper Room
Thought for the Day - God offers us refuge in a dangerous and demanding world.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, in the busyness of life, in the good times and the bad, you are always with us. We come to you for protection and rest. Thank you. Amen.
Prayer focus - Someone feeling weary
