‘Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.’ (vv6–7) Psalm 62:5–8
Pilgrims making their way to Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, in Northumbria, Northern England, must cross on a path that only exists at low tide. Halfway across is a refuge, built in case a pilgrim gets caught by the swift incoming tide as they cross.
A pilgrim is a traveller, and as disciples, our journey is living every day with Jesus. Life itself is a causeway subject to rising and falling tides that at times threaten to swamp us. In such times, God acts as our refuge, a tower that keeps us safe from the threat of a rising tide.
Caught on the causeway, it’s a judgment call if I seek to beat the tide and make my destination, or wait it out in an uncomfortable shelter. Such a wait presents an interruption to my plans. It demands that I sit tight, often alone, and with few provisions for something so unplanned.
In such moments I find time to think. I am literally alone with myself and God, with few distractions. What an opportunity to reflect, consider God, and give thanks. Life is busy and interruptions are usually one way God gets our undivided attention. Our choice lies in choosing whether we will be consumed with our frustrations or take hold of this unanticipated opportunity to seek and find God where and when we least expect to search for Him.
RELATED SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Deut. 33:26–29; Ruth 2:2–13; 2 Cor. 4:7–18; 12:1–10.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: When events interrupt your plans, how do you find God within the swirl of emotions that engulf you? It is in quiet and in trust that we find our strength (Isa. 30:15).
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, thank You that I can take refuge with You when life overwhelms me and I struggle to cope. Amen.’
Image by ELG21 from Pixabay
