Our Safe Place - The Crosswalk Devotional - December 26
The Crosswalk Devotional
Audio By Carbonatix
By Alexis A. Goring, Crosswalk.com
Our Safe Place
By Alexis A. Goring
Bible Reading
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” - Psalm 46:1 NIV
Safety. We all crave it, especially when our world feels like it is spinning out of control. There have been times in my life when I felt like there is no safe place for us here on Earth. But in recent years, God helped me see that He is our safe place.
I realize that no matter how unsafe our circumstances are and no matter where we live on this planet, we can go to God for safety. The Bible says that He is our refuge and strength. God is present when we face trouble. He can protect us and deliver us from evil. We just need to trust Him.
There is a song by Karen Clark Sheard called “A Secret Place.” The opening lyrics of this song touch on how cruel this world can be, filling you with pain that pierces your soul. But, Sheard sings, there is a secret place where we can go for refuge. It is a place filled with peace and safety that only God can provide. A place where God’s love for you surrounds and heals your hurting heart.
Sheard calls this place a “tabernacle.” It is not always a physical place on Earth like a literal modern-day church building, sanctuary, or Biblical tabernacle. I believe Sheard is singing about having a place where you and God can meet in secret. Some call this their “prayer closet.” This can mean you walk into your actual closet where you hang your clothes and keep your shoes then make space to meet with God there.
After watching the Christian movie “War Room,” many people were inspired to create a prayer closet like Miss Clara’s. For those of you who have not seen that movie, allow me to explain what I mean. In the movie, Miss Clara (played by Karen Abercrombie), is an elderly woman with a strong prayer life. During a tour of her house that she is trying to sell, she shows her real estate agent (Elizabeth Jordan, played by Priscilla Shirer) her closet. As Miss Clara opens the door to her closet that is located inside her bedroom, she tells Elizabeth that this is her “war room.” As Elizabeth enters the small but spacious closet, she sees how Miss Clara made room in it to post her handwritten prayer requests written on paper onto the previous empty walls inside her closet. There are years worth of prayer requests and praise reports from the prayers God has answered. Miss Clara didn’t just pray for her husband when he was alive; she prayed for everyone God put on her heart. She didn’t allow her mind to ruminate over the pain and problems in the world; Miss Clara sought God in prayer for victories she knew only He could accomplish. This is how she fought and won all her battles over the years.
I would say that Miss Clara’s prayer closet, “war room,” was also her secret place that Sheard sings about because that was where she could shut the noisy world out and commune with God in a private, quiet, safe place. It probably is also where—outside of a Bible-believing church—she felt God’s presence strongest.
It is clear to me that God comforted Miss Clara’s troubled heart every time she sought His Presence in her prayer closet. Miss Clara is a fictional character, but the concept of having a prayer closet in real life is Biblical. The Bible says in Matthew 6:6 (NIV), “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Now the Bible doesn’t say exactly how or when God will reward you for spending time in secret prayer with Him, but it does say that we are blessed when we take refuge in Him (Psalm 34:8). I believe those blessings can mean that we gain a closer relationship with our Creator. We get to know Him better as our Heavenly Father, and we feel safe in His arms.
The Bible describes God as our “fortress” (Psalm 46:11). And the good news is we don’t need to have an actual closet to pray to Him in because God is literally everywhere in this world. We can seek refuge in Him anywhere we are on this planet. He is always with us. There is nowhere we can hide from God. He sees all and knows all (Hebrews 4:13). We can trust that He sees the pain that we experience when the world is cold and cruel. God wants us to come to Him for comfort and healing. The Bible says in Psalm 34:18 (NIV), “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
When we go to God for safety, we can trust that with Him on our side, we are going to be okay. In closing, listen a song that Tasha Layton sings called “Into the Sea.” I believe it will encourage your heart.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
How does it feel to know that God is our safe place?
Further Reading:
Psalm 91:2
Psalm 9:9-10
Proverbs 18:10
Psalm 27:5
Psalm 107:28-31
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/FG Trade
Alexis A. Goring is an author, blogger, editor, photographer, trained journalist, and total foodie. She specializes in Contemporary Christian Romance (fiction) and devotionals (nonfiction). Her first devotional book, Stories and Songs of Faith: My Journey with God, was published in April 2020. Alexis hopes that her life’s work will lead people to Jesus Christ and teach them about the God who loves humankind with all of His heart. When she’s not sharing words that inspire and encourage the heart, you can find her in the kitchen cooking up something tasty, or in a café or restaurant, either dining solo or sharing a meal with loved ones. Connect with Alexis online via her website (https://alexisagoring.
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Related Resource: 9 Confusing Things about God– Answered By a Christian Philosopher
How can God be all-present (omnipresent) and yet be located in the temple and indwell believers? How can God know everything (omniscient) if He doesn't know what it is like to sin? How can God be a necessary Being if it is logically possible He doesn't exist? These are just a few of the tough, philosophical questions Sean McDowell discusses with William Lane Craig.
