My Place of Safety

save me, O God, because I have come to you for refuge. I said to him, "You are my Lord; I have no other help but yours." I want the company of the godly men and women in the land; they are the true nobility. Those choosing other gods shall all be filled with sorrow; I will not offer the sacrifices they do or even speak the names of their gods.

The Lord himself i my inheritance, my prize. He is my food and drink, my highest joy! He guards all that is mine. He sees that I am given pleasant brooks and meadows as my share! What a wonderful inheritance!

Psalms 16: 1-6(TLB)

Jackie Johnson lives in Arizona. She and her husband were preparing for retirement and a major move, all during the COVID-19 pandemic. The world outside of her home felt chaotic. At the same time, the world inside her home felt full of change and transition. This left Jackie feeling depressed. She tried to distract herself, but her anxiety and fear were constantly with her.

When her daughter's dog, Dash, is scared, she runs and burrows into the center of her big yellow pillow. Watching Dash run to the safety of her pillow one day, Jackie thought, Where is my safe place? She realized that diversions only push aside her fears and anxieties temporarily. She needed something more solid.

One morning, during another wave of anxiety, she came across Psalm 16:1. Jackie felt the Almighty offering her a safe place. So she shared her fears and anxieties, and God filled her with a sense of comfort and relief. Now when Jackie feels anxiety threaten to overwhelm her, she thinks of Dash running to her pillow for safety, and She is reminded that God is her safe place.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for your wonderful love. Help us turn to you for comfort and peace when we are overwhelmed, in Jesus' name. Amen.