Safe Place – Psalm 23

Barnabas Letters: Safe Place

Our Heavenly Father is a Safe Place for us. We have all experienced the ongoing challenge in life to find people and places where we are completely free to be ourselves and speak honestly about our struggles.

Sadly, all of us have been in situations where, even with fellow believers, we cannot speak the whole truth because those around us are not trustworthy, and they are not authentically available to listen or care.

For this reason, Jesus invites us not only to give lip service to walking with the Holy Spirit, but he takes his teaching further to say we are to practice his presence with every breath of our lives and to take each and every step with the Holy Spirit as our Wonderful Counselor.

“We must live in the Holy Spirit and follow after him.” (Galatians 5:25 TPT)

I have discovered in my journey the temptation to isolate God’s leadership in my life to a small amount of time each day that we typically call a “devotion.”

As I have counseled and coached missionaries around the world over the last decade of my life, I have witnessed a very common practice among disciples of Jesus: we make God a part of our lives, and we set apart special times to spend with him, but we do not remain with him.

Please look very carefully into the Shepherd Song with me for a moment and consider how our Beloved Abba presents himself as not only our Guide and Protector, but also the only One capable of giving us rest, peace, and spiritual renewal.

“Adonai is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of death’s shadow, I will fear no evil, for You are with me: Your rod and staff comfort me.” (Psalm 23:1-4 TLV)

Do you see how completely desperate we are for our Good Shepherd’s presence and leadership? David wrote this song, and he understood what it meant to shepherd and protect sheep. He would need this song during his life journey, because many times he walked through this Death Shadow valley.

From King Saul wanting his head on a platter, to sleeping with one of his best friend’s wife, to ordering a census with the result of a deadly angelic massacre of Jerusalem’s citizens, David knew his life was meaningless and empty apart from resting without ceasing in our Shepherd’s arms.

Brothers and sisters, let us always rest and remain within the embrace of our Safe Place’s presence. 

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation, my Stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God; my Strong Rock, my Refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our Safe Place.” (Psalm 62:5-8 HCSB)

James Harvey, Blazing Trees CEO/Founder

@praytellstories

#Jesus #maranatha #storytellers #hope

+++

Read our other Barnabas Letters > Click here