Knock, Knock - I know who's there!

There are a lot of way to be 'beat down' by the things and people we have to deal with each and every day - just walking this earth today may make you feel that you are persistently beaten down - worn out by hard or unnecessary abuse.  There are those who have suffered repeated blows to their ego, emotions, or physical well-being. The repeated blows have left behind damage that seems to do nothing more than place on public display the defects of our lives. To each of us with 'damaged lives' let me just give you a word of encouragement - God isn't put-off by our damage!

God's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked. (Psalm 9:9-10)

What?  The anointed of God, the one who has been hand-chosen by God, feels beaten down, abused, emotionally spent, like his or her life mattered for little in the scheme of things?  Yep - it happens to the best of us! We each experience emotional disappointment at the hand of friends on occasion. Our life canned be turned into turmoil at times because enemies are being constant in their pursuit.  We all can have problems with our own lusts and pride, bringing shame, immense feelings of guilt and anguish into our lives. News flash...we are all just a little bit like the other person across from us!

In today's society, there are "shelters" that one can run to when they are dealing with extreme mental or physical abuse at the hand of another - we call these "safe-houses".  We also should never forget that God specializes in being our "safe-house" in times of trial. Think of all that the safe-houses of today provide for those that find shelter there and you might just see an image of God:

• Security - it is a place of safety, free from the pressures, anguish, or torment of what one have been dealing with
• Strength - it is a place of recovery, allowing one time and resources to heal from their "battering" and "abuse"
• Substance - it is place of provision, affording one the tools they need to get back on their feet again - strong, empowered, whole, and healed

God is just such a safe-house.  David is so faithful to show us that it is at the very moment we arrive in his care, we are able to relax - to find peace where no peace has dwelt in a long, long time - within us. The effort we have had to exert to "hold up" under the tension and stress of the "battering" we have been under (whether that battering is the doing of another against us, or the result of what we have done to ourselves) suddenly begins to ease.  

As soon as we knock - we find shelter! We don't even need to wait until the door is opened, we begin to experience that we are fully inside the safety of his sanctuary - he begins the work of bringing us into that state of "peace" when we first knock! Yes, we are invited into his safe-house, into the very presence of the holy God of this universe. His door is open to each of us - a place to run to, not just when we are in trouble or in times of extreme hurt or pain, but on a frequent and consistent basis.  There we find our security, our strength, and our substance. You'll never regret knocking.  You'll never be disappointed in taking refuge in God. Battering will come - but the provision for everything we need for our health and well-being is found in his presence. Knock and it will be opened to you! Just sayin!