Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 14
Friday


SANCTUARY

READ:
Psalm 71:1-16
_____________________________________

Be my strong refuge,
to which I may
resort continually;
You have given the
commandment to save
me. __Psalm 71:3
_____________________________________

A professional athlete built a palatial eight-bedroom himself. His secluded house includes a movie theater, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and a five-car garage.

The athlete told The New York Times that he doesn't view the $8 million estate as a monument to success. Instead, he considers it to be a sanctuary from his painful childhood memories of poverty and abuse. The young man is seeking something much deeper than luxury and entertinment. "Got to get my peace," he said.

all of us know the feeling of being overwhelmed. When the present is daunting and the past is haunting, where can we turn for release? To whom do we go for comfort and peace?

The psalmist wrote: "Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually" (Ps. 71:2-3). God was his hope, his trust, and his hiding place in the storms of life (vv.5-8).

``````````E. May Grimes' poem captures that biblical theme.`````````

```````````````A little sanctuary art Thou to me````````````````
````````````O Jesus Christ, beloved, I live with Thee;```````````````
````````````My heart has found its everlasting home,```````````````
``````````````Its sure abiding place where'er I roam.```````````````

Few people can afford a mansion, but everyone who knows the Lord can find refuge and peace in His abiding presence. __ David McCasland
_____________________________________________________________

When we put our problems in God's hands,
He puts His peace in our hearts.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 71:1-16***********

1 In You, O LORD, I put my
trust; let me never be put to
shame. 2 Deliver me in Your
righteousness, and cause me
to escape; incline Your ear to
me, and save me. 3 Be my
strong refuge, to which I may
resort continually; You have
given the commandment to
save me, for You are my rock
and my fortress.

4 Deliver me, O my God,
out of the hand of the
wicked, out of the hand of
the unrighteous and cruel
man. 5 For You are my hope,
O Lord God; You are my
trust from my youth. 6 By
You I have been upheld from
birth; You are He who took
me out of my mother's
womb. My praise shall be
continually of You....

9 Do not cast me off in the
time of old age; do not
forsake me when my strength
fails. 10 For my enemies
speak against me and those
who lie in wait for my life
take counsel together,

11 saying, "God has forsaken
him; pursue and take him, for
there is none to deliver him."

12 O God, do not be far
from me; O my God, make
haste to help me! 13 Let
them be dumfounded and
consumed who are
adversaries of my life; let
them be covered with
reproach and dishonor who
seek my hurt.

14 but I will hope
continually, and will praise
You yet more and more.

15 My mouth shall tell of
Your righteousness and Your
salvation all the day....

116 I will go in the strength
of the Lord God; I will
make mention of Your
righteousness, of Yours only.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The Hebrew word translated refuge means "dwelling; a home in the
rock." One of the primary functions of a home is to provide refuge.
The psalmist refers to the Lord as his "rock" (Ps. 71:3). For the
believer, the ultimate place of refuge is in the presence of God. __HDF