Circling the Drain?

Do you have a safe place? It could be the peace and quiet of your bedroom after a long and crazy day at work, curled up with a good book, or vegging with a game on your tablet. It could be you have built out a little sanctuary in your garden, allowing you to bask in the sun while listening to the soothing songs of the birds in the trees. Maybe it is a time each day you take just for yourself - a time set aside when no interruptions can come and when you can just be alone with yourself, God, and your thoughts. Your safe place doesn't have to be a 'place' as much as it should be a harbor where you can find firm and safe anchor! The first two 'safe places' exist in my life, but the third one is the safest place for me to find what it is I am really needing.

My help and glory are in God —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God— So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be. (Psalm 62:7 MSG)

What does absolute trust look like? In today's society, the concepts of trust have been a little skewed by perhaps whoever is in a position of authority at the moment, or whatever the norms of society say we should be trusting in. Some trust in their bank accounts - finding greater security the more those accounts amass. Others trust in one individual, focusing all their time and energies into that one relationship at the expense of all other matters in their lives. While the relationship may indeed be very important, does it warrant ALL of your attention? Then there are those who find their trust is only placed in what they can do for themselves, not needing any other source of help other than what they can muster themselves. Likely that trust is a little misplaced, as no one is an island unto themselves.

Our safe harbor is to be God, not career, savings, another individual, or even our own ability. The moment we assume our safe harbor can be anything other than him, that is the moment we move out of the harbor and into the rough waters! The anchor being as secure as it can be is not good enough when the waters get really, really rough! We need to lay our lives on the line, not with misplaced trust, but with a sure and certain trust in the one who holds us secure no matter what storm comes our way. I think we may want to trust in what we can see and feel rather than in something that isn't all that tangible. God's protection, love, grace, and peace are always there as long as we remain safely harbored in him - placing our trust in him alone.

The concept of trust is that of relying on another's ability and integrity. We learn quite quickly of God's integrity - for who else never stops loving even in the face of a whole lot of 'unloving' actions on the part of the one they are loving? We also learn quickly of his strength and ability when we see his extended grace in our lives, keeping us secure even when all around us seems to be caving in. We don't go down the drain with the bath water - we might feel the tug or pull of the waters rushing our all around us, but we don't follow the water. We remain secure in his care - despite the tug of the waters! Just sayin!