Playing high in the tree house with my grand-darlings made the coronavirus feel distant and diminished. Swinging comfortably in the hammock, listening to the rain fall softly on the tin roof, and planning wistfully for an outdoor sleepover bolstered my Gammy-heart above the crisis, chaos, and confusion of our altered lives.
Ahhh, if only …
Alas, one cannot live in a tree house forever, and I eventually needed to return to our worried world. At dusk, I gingerly climbed backwards, down the narrow ladder to our coronavirus earth and the absorbing challenges we face.
However, God has provided for you and me, His beloved children, a far more secure refuge than even my tree house hideaway. Rather than leaving us nervous, scared, and confused, He invites us into an eternally secure shelter in the strong and sturdy branches of His glorious Word.
Come—climb the ladder with me and rest in the soothing, sanitized certainty that only He can guarantee. Climbing Above the Crisis, we read:
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4 NIV).
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2 NIV).
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV).
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17,18 NIV).
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV).
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NASB).
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NASB).
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).
So going forward,
“May we continue to prioritize our intimacy with Jesus. May the Word be our source of perspective, and communication with the Father our source of comfort and strength.” Steve Sellers, Cru National Director
Living With Eternal Intentionality®
Which of these verses means the most to you in the face of our current global crisis?
How has God met you recently and offered you the supernatural comfort which only He can give?
Please join the conversation by adding your comments.
- artwork by Blake Thompson
