The Lord is on my side as my helper. I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All nations surrounded me. In the name of the Lord, I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side. In the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees. They went out like a fire among thorns. In the name of the Lord I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. (Verses 7-13)
It was a very hot summer day in Wichita Falls, Texas, when I grabbed the lawn mower from the garage and began my weekly routine of mowing our yard. I don't recommend yard work when it's 111 degrees outside, but I was obsessed with having beautiful green grass for the kids to play on. After having edged and manicured the front lawn, I pushed the whirring lawnmower to the back, closed the gate behind me and made the long swath against the left side of the fence that separated me from my neighbor. I didn't expect what happened next. Bumblebees! So many I couldn't count. Apparently I'd hit their underground nest and they were mad--at me and the red mower. They mounted a very targeted attack, buzzing furiously around my head and shoulders and besieging the mower as if it were Godzilla come to destroy their metropolis. I ran. They buzzed after me. I swatted and they hissed. I barely made it inside where I retrieved some wasp repellent and ventured carefully back to the mower which was by then literally covered with the insects. I hated to kill them. I think they are beautiful. But at that point it was them or me. Enough of them lay dead by the lawnmower that I could finally turn the thing off and go inside until the war subsided before I finished my yard work later in the day. So I understand this thing the psalmist wrote about the buzzing of bees.
It's important to God where we go for refuge. If in these crazy political days we look to a president, congressman or senator to fix our lives, we will surely be disappointed. If we look to a mother, father, husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend to make us whole, again, we'll be let down. People fall short. All of us. So how do we actually take refuge in the Lord? What does that look like practically when we've been pushed so hard by life that we are about to fall down? Early this morning, the Lord awakened me. At 3:45 A.M. I knew He was calling me downstairs to be alone with Him. I'm feeling a bit pressed myself lately. Over the first few weeks of 2014, pushed hard enough that I was falling on my face daily. But my prayer this morning had to do with all the things in my life over which I have absolutely no control. I have done all I can do. Swatted the bees, set the thorns on fire and cut the enemy off at the pass by resisting his diversions and not agreeing with his accusations that God doesn't hear or care. Left on my face today to take refuge in my God. Resting in Him in the wee hours of the morning on a very, very busy day. Acknowledging that some of the things for which I pray may not be what He wants. Coming to grips with the fact that if He doesn't want them, I don't either.
Combat with the enemy of our souls can make us feel isolated. Like we fight alone and are losing strength. As if we are the last soldier standing, with our comrades lying dead all around us. Of course, that's the lie we are made to believe when the enemy and his minions yell at us to surrender. I don't ever want to forget that I have the authority Christ gave me to set the devil running. Because Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them at the cross (Colossians 2). We are never standing against the evil one or our difficult earthly circumstances alone. Jesus is the Helper by the powerful Holy Spirit Who indwells us (John 16). So we can cut off at the pass the enemies who push hard against our faith, vanquish them by our enduring faith in a steadfast God. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so at the proper time He might exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober minded. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him. Firm in your faith (I Peter 5). In all these things, we are more than conquerors, through Him Who loves us (Romans 8). It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in anything else. The omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God of all has us in the palm of His hand.
It was a very hot summer day in Wichita Falls, Texas, when I grabbed the lawn mower from the garage and began my weekly routine of mowing our yard. I don't recommend yard work when it's 111 degrees outside, but I was obsessed with having beautiful green grass for the kids to play on. After having edged and manicured the front lawn, I pushed the whirring lawnmower to the back, closed the gate behind me and made the long swath against the left side of the fence that separated me from my neighbor. I didn't expect what happened next. Bumblebees! So many I couldn't count. Apparently I'd hit their underground nest and they were mad--at me and the red mower. They mounted a very targeted attack, buzzing furiously around my head and shoulders and besieging the mower as if it were Godzilla come to destroy their metropolis. I ran. They buzzed after me. I swatted and they hissed. I barely made it inside where I retrieved some wasp repellent and ventured carefully back to the mower which was by then literally covered with the insects. I hated to kill them. I think they are beautiful. But at that point it was them or me. Enough of them lay dead by the lawnmower that I could finally turn the thing off and go inside until the war subsided before I finished my yard work later in the day. So I understand this thing the psalmist wrote about the buzzing of bees.
It's important to God where we go for refuge. If in these crazy political days we look to a president, congressman or senator to fix our lives, we will surely be disappointed. If we look to a mother, father, husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend to make us whole, again, we'll be let down. People fall short. All of us. So how do we actually take refuge in the Lord? What does that look like practically when we've been pushed so hard by life that we are about to fall down? Early this morning, the Lord awakened me. At 3:45 A.M. I knew He was calling me downstairs to be alone with Him. I'm feeling a bit pressed myself lately. Over the first few weeks of 2014, pushed hard enough that I was falling on my face daily. But my prayer this morning had to do with all the things in my life over which I have absolutely no control. I have done all I can do. Swatted the bees, set the thorns on fire and cut the enemy off at the pass by resisting his diversions and not agreeing with his accusations that God doesn't hear or care. Left on my face today to take refuge in my God. Resting in Him in the wee hours of the morning on a very, very busy day. Acknowledging that some of the things for which I pray may not be what He wants. Coming to grips with the fact that if He doesn't want them, I don't either.
Combat with the enemy of our souls can make us feel isolated. Like we fight alone and are losing strength. As if we are the last soldier standing, with our comrades lying dead all around us. Of course, that's the lie we are made to believe when the enemy and his minions yell at us to surrender. I don't ever want to forget that I have the authority Christ gave me to set the devil running. Because Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them at the cross (Colossians 2). We are never standing against the evil one or our difficult earthly circumstances alone. Jesus is the Helper by the powerful Holy Spirit Who indwells us (John 16). So we can cut off at the pass the enemies who push hard against our faith, vanquish them by our enduring faith in a steadfast God. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so at the proper time He might exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober minded. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him. Firm in your faith (I Peter 5). In all these things, we are more than conquerors, through Him Who loves us (Romans 8). It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in anything else. The omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God of all has us in the palm of His hand.
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