Taking Refuge in a Mod Floral Meadow

This God-his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless. 2 Samuel 22: 31-33
 
I slammed the door, flung myself across the mod green floral bedspread, and buried my face deep in the folds of my daisy dotted pillow.  I yanked the sides up tightly around my ears and screamed. The downy daisies muffled the tribal cries of my angry, hurt heart. As the screams subsided, the flowery cotton pillow case began to fill with the moisture of my tears. The world was unfair and my only place of refuge was the floral meadow of cotton and polyester covering my twin bed.  

 I don’t remember what made me so angry that day, but I do know that throughout my childhood my bedroom was my refuge.  I would flee to the shelter of my bed whenever I could no longer handle the pressures of my ten- year- old life.

In college, my refuge became a small closet- like prayer room located on the second floor of my dorm.  It was in this small space that the God of the universe became my God. As the world pelted me with pebbles of pain and discouragement, I sought protection in my little second- floor stronghold. As I took shelter in this space of solitude, I began to encounter the presence of God as I engaged in conversation with Him about the hurts of my heart.  Soon that little room transformed into a gateway that led to a greater refuge-God himself. You see, it wasn’t the room that shielded me from the pebbles of pain, it was God and seeking solace in that space taught me to surrender my fears and hurts to him through honest heartfelt prayer which allowed him to become my rock and salvation.  

My college encounters echoed David words in 2 Samuel 22:1-3, “The Lord is my rock and fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me…”

I no longer have a little prayer room for a refuge.  I am forced to find my shelter from life’s storms in other places. Sometimes, I seek refuge in the Lord in the shower, the car, on a walk, or, yes, even my bed. We all need a place where we can go to be alone with our Savior (it really doesn’t matter where that is) to safely hide out for a while until the world stops throwing rocks at us. 

Where is your place of refuge? What hurts do you need to share with God today, so he can become your source of strength and protection?
Seek solace in the shade of his shield of love today. 

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