Fire!!! Run!!! No Stay!!!…..

One thing all people have in common, is hurts and pains. They are a very sad part of life. In one way, it’s wanting to ask Adam, why did you mess up? In another way - this life would not have been the same. We would have known only heavenly bliss. But we don’t know heavenly bliss, at least, not yet. It does not matter how many times we are told that we must go through pains and trials, and these trials are good for us, they actually really hurt our hearts. Sometimes they are too much for us, and we want to run away from everything and everyone. We see the falseness of people, we see their hypocrisy, we are plied with wave after wave of tests and trials, beating us down. Ps 42: 7 all the LORD’s waves and breakers sweeping over us. They don’t end. You get over one problem, and the next one comes surging upon you. Business breakers are somewhat easier to cope with; but heart breakers - well, they break you. So, run! Run! Run! The fire is too hot!!! Well, two Psalms, speak of troubles and problems, and then they speak of where to go, and finally, what we should do. Ps 31: 1, the psalmist states the LORD is my refuge and in Psalm 46: 1 God is our refuge and our strength. The Scriptures reaffirm, time and again, that the LORD, our God, is our only refuge. For those who have 2 feet on the ground this is very difficult, as accept it or not, we trust in people; and we look to people to encourage us. When we have no human encouragement, some people collapse in a heap, “no one loves me”, and they crumble to pieces emotionally. They need friends in order to survive. Others, when they are kicked in the teeth, by those close to them, well, they hurt. It hurts. But they are strong, and they realise the truth of Ps 31: 1 and Ps 46: 1. And when, dare I say it, weaker people, collapse in a heap in this time, the LORD’s people, after they had their teeth kicked in, apply Ps 31: 24 be strong and take heart all you who hope in the LORD and Ps 46: 10 - be still and know that I am God. These two psalms, one written by David and one by a son of Korah, are remarkably similar. It shows you that these tests and trials are common to all. Yes, it all looks good and rosy, and then the LORD reminds us again and again, not to put our hope, our trust in people. It’s tough. We do. So God reminds us, don’t. God is our refuge and strength, our only refuge and strength. And he is our strength, our hope, and we should trust only in him. Somehow or somewhere along the road of life, we do look for someone that sees God, life, people, relationships, as we do. And so the LORD says, look to me. So, when the fire is hot, the burning is great, the pains are severe- be still and know that I am God Ps 46: 10. PS- you think you know that? Wait, the LORD will rip from you that which you lean on. Only then can these verses mean anything. So, lean on, but the ripping will come. Be strong and take heart.