Writer: Desiree Willett
Ministry: Technical Specialist
Scripture: Psalm 91:4,9-11,15
I have chickens… Probably too many chickens. (Is 25 too many?)
I love to sit on my porch and watch them mosey around the yard. And I love it when we have new chicks! It’s adorable when a mama chicken leads her babies through the yard, introducing them to this big old world and all its wonderful things.
Sometimes one of the chicks will wander away. They don’t know they have left the safety of their protector. But the second those chicks realize they are alone; they start screaming! And the mama hen always runs over and gathers her chick back into the fold with the rest. She tucks those babies under her wing, and they quiet right down, completely safe and at peace.
One day as I was sitting in my yard watching the adorable little balls of fluff wandering and then screaming (and then inevitably wandering and screaming again), I realized something. I am that chick.
I wander from the One who created me, realize I’ve drifted, and cry out to Him, He rescues me, and then without realizing it…I wander again.
I look at heroes of the faith like Mary and Joseph, who were pressed on all sides starting their family, and it doesn’t look like they wandered at all. I can’t imagine how hard it was to walk in their shoes, but they were able to stay strong because they found Refuge in their faith. They knew that the God who Created them would protect them from every fiery arrow the evil one could throw.
My life doesn’t look like theirs did. Their walk was unique. But each of us faces trials. We all have hurts, heartaches, and feelings of despair sometimes. God wants to shelter us and offer us refuge from those things!
He doesn’t promise to deliver us from every trial, but His Word promises protection through them.
What I learned from watching my mother hens is that they never run out of patience rescuing their chicks. They are never too tired, cold, or wet to save any one of them.
Sometimes I feel unworthy of rescue. I have asked Him so many times before. I have messed up in the same way too many times to deserve another chance.
But He doesn’t feel that way!
My prayer for each of us today is that we realize that His ways aren’t our ways. And He loves us even though we don’t deserve it.
The God who made you loves you.
And He desperately wants a relationship with you. This Advent season, I challenge you to slow down. Spend time focusing on where your Refuge is found and reconnect with where your strength comes from.
Daily Prayer: Awesome God, thank you for loving me even though I don’t deserve it. Thank you for chasing after me time after time. Please help me to stay close to you. Please forgive me for wandering. And please help me to see those people in my life who might need to hear my story and give me the strength to share it so that Your kingdom will grow.
In Jesus’ precious name Amen
Discussion/Reflection Questions:
- Where do you find refuge?
- When you look back, what fiery arrows do you see God has protected you from?
- Who in your life do you need to share your story of redemption with?
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