ARISE SHINE! YOUR LIGHT AND SHELTER HAS COME!

ARISE!  YOUR LIGHT

AND SHELTER

HAS COME!

 As I write this today, the nation is in turmoil, hearts are grieving, and people shake with terror at the events that have taken place.  We ask ourselves if we should just stay in our houses, not go into public places, because of the evil that has overtaken our world.  One never knows when darkness will overtake them.

 And we hear of a dear brother in Christ who has gone on home to be with Jesus this day.  And our hearts sorrow with his precious wife and the family.  But we have that “Blessed Hope.”  We know that this dear brother is home with His Lord, well again, no more pain, sorrow or tears. 

 Yes, as we continue to walk this journey of life, many sorrows will beset us here, but we who walk with Jesus down that path know who holds our hands, who brings comfort in sorrow, and gives us hope for all our tomorrows.  My heart goes out to those who have not accepted Christ as Savior.  We live in dark times, darkness all around, and where can we hide if we do not know Jesus?  I beg of you, if you are reading this and have not made the most important decision of your life, please do it now.  Where you will spend eternity depends on that decision.  As I have said before, “Life has many choices, eternity has only two.” Ask Jesus to come into your heart and be Lord of your life.  And when these troubled times come, you have a Shelter to run into.  When the storms beat around you, you can hide in the Shelter of the Rock, Christ Jesus!

 A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM

“The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, a shelter in the time of storm; secure whatever will betide, a shelter in the time of storm.

 Oh, Jesus in a Rock in a weary land, a weary land, a weary land; oh Jesus is the Rock in a weary land, a shelter in the time of storm.

 A shade by day, defense by night, a shelter in the time of storm; no fears alarm, no foes affright, a shelter in the time of storm.

 The raging storms may round us beat, a shelter in the time of storm; we’ll never leave our safe retreat, a shelter in the time of storm.

 O Rock divine, Refuge dear, a shelter in the time of storm, be Thou our helper ever near, a shelter in the time of storm.”  (Ira D. Sankey)

 As my husband and I traveled to the Midwest recently, we traveled for miles and miles through deserts, with brush and dry ground.  Here and there one might see a green tree.  And as we entered Utah, we entered the great salt areas, with barren land as far as we could see.  And as I looked up, there all around the great deserts were rocks and canyons.  Some were shades of gold or grey.  Some were flat on the top.  It was truly a desolate scene.

As we travel through this life, down the road and up over the mountains with Jesus, we too, will walk in desolate places, places of dryness.  But Jesus is our Rock, who towers over all the situations of our lives, and in Him we hide.  We can hide in Him, and remember that He is also our Living Water, in the dry times of our lives.  In one area, for instance, there are many green trees, even though it is considered High Desert, so there must be water there, living water to nourish those areas.  Or one might see a desert area, and in spots there are green areas, where the water flows.  When our lives our dry and troubled, He becomes our oasis in our “desert times.” 

And as we traveled through these areas, we would suddenly come around a curve and view a valley below, with miles and miles of green pastures and running streams.  Isn’t that like our lives as Believers?  We go through these dry times, and then our Lord will take us down into places where the streams flow, times of refreshing from the Lord.  Oh, Praise the Lord!

And as we look around our world, it is indeed dark and seems to be getting darker.  Evil times are all around us, but God has as a great promise in His Word.  Listen to His words in Isaiah 60:1-2:

“Arise, shine; for your light has come!  And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.”

Yes, our “Light” has come in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  But He has also asked us to be his “Lights” in this darkened world (Matthew 5:14-16).  We are shine amidst the deep darkness of this world, and His glory will be seen by those who are lost in darkness.

So on this day, look to the Rock, Christ Jesus, our Shelter in these dark, dark times.  He walks ahead of us, lighting our path.  Even though we may go through dry places, He promises to bring times of refreshing and springs of water to refresh our way, as we continue our journey home.

 In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon