A SAFE PLACE!

A SAFE PLACE!

2 Sam 22:2-3

2 And he said, The Lord  is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

2 Sam 22:31

31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord  is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

          I’m looking at a book on my shelf which I bought for two reasons. The first is its title, Someplace Safe with Somebody Good! The second reason I bought this book is its author, Jan Karon. I’ve read, I think, every book that Jan Karon has written except this newest one. I haven’t yet read this one for two reasons. One, I want to save it for a special time when I can read it uninterrupted. Two, I can read faster than Jan can write. But, isn’t the title intriguing?

          God is my rock!  A rock reminds us of strength and stability, that which is dependable and unchanging. No matter how David's enemies tried to destroy him, he was always guided and protected by the Lord. The buckler and shield are from the same Hebrew word. It is a small round shield held by a handle or worn on the forearm. It was used in hand-to-hand combat. When the enemy is closest, God is a strong shield.

          God is my horn! Figuratively, the horn is a symbol of power. Great bulls use their horns as weapons when fighting. The Hebrew word is sometimes also translated hill. Every military strategist understands the importance of the high ground. So the word has a double meaning. God is my high ground and power in battle. The idea of the high tower conjures up the same idea. Sometimes these towers were rock structures and were stationary but on the battlefield others were made of wood and were on a wheeled platform so that the commanders might observe the battle and shot arrows down at the enemy.

          His way is perfect! David had come to trust the Lord’s ways. Pure mind makes no mistakes. Nothing escapes his overview. David’s trust was not a blind following because he says that God’s word is tried. David had tested God’s abilities in the fire of conflict and had found no blemish or weakness.

          Someplace safe with Somebody good! Such is the happy condition of those who put their trust in the Lord.

Dear Lord, I feel safe when you are leading. I doubt to trust my own resources. Lead clearly and protect strongly today. AMEN