Encouragement: My secure shelter.

Today I bring you words and thoughts of encouragement from Psalm 71:1-8

71:1 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!
Never let me be humiliated!
2 Vindicate me by rescuing me!
Listen to me! Deliver me!
3 Be my protector and refuge,
a stronghold where I can be safe!
For you are my high ridge and my stronghold.
4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked,
from the hand of the cruel oppressor!
5 For you give me confidence, O Lord;
O Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young.
6 I have leaned on you since birth;
you pulled me from my mother’s womb.
I praise you continually.
7 Many are appalled when they see me,
but you are my secure shelter.
8 I praise you constantly
and speak of your splendor all day long.

Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Ps 71:1-8). Biblical Studies Press.

A friend mentioned to me Psalm 71 the other day as being one of their favorite Psalms. I went and looked it up and I have been fixed to it over the last few days. I have come to like it as it is such a bold statement of faith. I am adding it to my list of shelter messages from God.

Life is full of twists and turns, of ups and downs. Some days we feel bold and strong in our faith and other days we need to find that shelter that only the Lord can offer.

The Psalm starts out with the statement. "In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter!" When you step out and go to a place of shelter you have to have confidence in the place of shelter and confidence in the provider of shelter. Trust only comes as we walk in our relationships.

Our writer then goes on to ask to not be humiliated and to be vindicated and delivered.

"Be my protector and refuge,
a stronghold where I can be safe!
For you are my high ridge and my stronghold."

These words almost bring a tear to my eye. I know now that I can come to Psalm 71 to find that safety that so often eludes us in our walk here on earth. The imagery of the shelter is a stronghold or mighty fortress. It is also on a high ridge so it will be easy to defend.

The most striking line of this first part of Psalm 71 comes in verse 5. "For you give me confidence O Lord. " Our God gives us so much including filling us with the confidence.

The more I walk with people on their faith journeys, the more I learn about myself. It is easy when you walk along with someone when you can relate from your own experiences and pull from God's word. It is much more challenging to pull guidance from God's word on issues where you have not walked yourself. At those times you need to rely on the confidence and trust you have experienced and apply it to what the bible says for unknown ground. It is strange because you step out to help someone else and they end up carrying you.

Our Psalm goes on to say "Many are appalled when they see me, but you are my secure shelter." None of us are perfect, that is why Jesus had to step in to the world and complete His completed work. This line applies to us all and we all need the shelter of Christ's blood.

We can all relate to the things that we find are "missing in our lives" and it can be hard when someone makes you face this. We must not dwell on these things, but we must focus our attention on Jesus Christ. In putting Him first we change the way we look at things and as a result the things we look at change and the way we look at things change.

I learned a long time ago to enjoy each day and every day. For each day is special and each of us has a special gift that we can share with others.

Verse 8 sums up my message for today.

"I praise you constantly and speak of your splendor all day long."

May we all focus on Him ministering to each other along the way.

Amen

Music Encouragement You're Beautiful by Phil Wickham