Devotional – A safe place on earth
“It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him!” (Amos 5:19 NKJV).
In times of trouble, we are often looking for a ‘safe place’. Is there a country or a place unreached by our problems and difficulties, a place where the sun always shines, the crime rate is non-existent, and the cost of living is temptingly low? Sometimes we believe so and devote a lot of mental activity to that utopian place. Perhaps we manage to avoid certain dangers now, only to encounter something else just as bad, or even worse, later. Obedience to God’s perfect will, sometimes brings undesirable consequences. However, He has promised to take care of these consequences.
Psalm 46 speaks about the Lord as our only safe haven. He is “our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1 NKJV). Unfortunately, there is no safe place on earth. Evil will increase in the last days as the return of Jesus draws near. However, Satan cannot do anything against us, unless God allows it (Job 1:9-12). If He allows it, we know there is a divine purpose behind it (1 Pet 3:14). God knows how to preserve us in every given situation (Acts 27:34; 2 Pet 2:9). Consequently, the only safe place on earth is in God’s presence, doing His perfect will.