My Sanctuary

This has been a challenging week. One of storms and seas crashing down on me, and yet feeling as though the Lord is, in spite of it all holding me up. I am not referring to any circumstances of my own, but to two precious members of the body of Christ. To anyone, therefore, who is part of the body, one and all are affected. To hear of divorce in the body of Christ shakes us all.

I used to think because God hates it, it should never be the choice of a Christian. I don't think that way anymore. I don't feel a need to explain why. For one thing, I don't think I could explain it if I wanted to at this point. I have a lot of questions that are not answered yet, and for the first time in my life, I am realizing when I have questions, that I have total liberty to wait on God for answers. I, in other words, no longer let Satan push me around and make me feel as though I'm sinning just because I don't have everything figured out.

Aside from my own personal questions, When I hear of divorce in the body of Christ among my very own friends, I think it is appropriate to cry and mourn and weep. I think of the story of the rich young ruler. Jesus, basically said that it is impossible for people such as he to be saved. The disciples threw up their hands and cried out, "Then who can be saved?!". I felt like those disciples this week. If these, my friends fall, then who can be saved? Jesus' reply for the rich man is the same for me, what is impossible for men is possible with God. So, while it is appropriate to mourn, it is also appropiate to let God be the lifter of our heads. "Divorce" is only a word on a paper. God is bigger and mightier. As for the question of who can be saved? Those who are saved are those who are close to the ground and don't have far to fall. They do stumble and fall like a toddler, but they are not hurled headlong because they have made Jesus closer than a brother, and aloud Him to hold their hand (ps. 37:23).

The words of this song by Leland, to me, discribes the kind of relationship these friends of Jesus have . . .

All these places I have been
All these faces I have seen
Too much, too much
All these bricks and all these stones
Have all been cast the've all been thrown
Too hard, too hard

Find me in the background looking down
You'll never see my face
I'm looking down

Chorus:
I need a place a sanctuary a refuge for my ordinary
Finally familiar peaceful home
Untroubled safe from all this madness
Refuge for my hope and sadness
Possible to find myself alone
At home

All these cliffs and all these heights
They've just been too high to climb
Too high, too high
All these waves and all these seas
Have all been crashing down on me
Too much, too much

I've found my home again
I finally find myself in You
I finally find myself in you
I feel safe again
You're the one I'm running to
You're the one I'm running to


Thank you, Jesus, for giving me a place to grieve, and above all for protecting my hope for my friends and for myself. Praise be to God, this earth is not my home, my home and my hope is in Christ!