Sometimes I wish I could go back to being a kid, when I knew very little about the troubles of the world.  I was telling my friend Amy the other night that I loved the word "safe". It has become my prayer in praying for people in Africa, my desire for a word to describe different relationships in my life, and a word that implies both freedom and protection. I want to be shielded from knowing terrible things that are happening in this world, protected from frustrating relationships, kept from any plans the enemy has to destroy peace. Bu He hasn't done that. My eyes have been more opened to a hurting world, relationships have been more burdensome than ever before, and the enemy continues to exploit my weaknesses. And today I sat down with a heavy heart from this past few weeks of events, and my eyes were opened to a different meaning of the word "safe".

I was sorting thru some books on my shelf and flipped open to J. I Packer's words.

God has a higher purpose for our struggles. This is what all the work of grace aims at-an even deeper knowledge of God, and even closer fellowship with Him. Grace is God drawing us sinners closer and closer to Him. How does God in grace prosecute this purpose? Not by shielding us from assault by the world, the flesh, and the devil, nor by protecting us from burdensome and frustrating circumstances, nor yet by shielding us from troubles created by our own temperament and psychology; but rather by exposing us to all these things, so as to overwhelm us with a sense of our own inadequacy, and to drive us to cling to Him more closely. This is the ultimate reason, from our standpoint, why God fills our lives with troubles and perplexities of one sort or another- it is to ensure that we shall learn to hold to Him fast.

Wow. All the events happening in my life remind me of my own insufficiency. But, the point of it all is to show me that He is sufficient. So and find myself drawn to His presence even more. AND,  THERE IS NO SAFER PLACE TO BE THAN IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.  Instead of being "kept safe" from all these things, He exposes me to them and brings me into His presence where I find saftey.

When I flip thru scripture, I am reminded  over and over again that He is our hiding place, a refuge, a shield etc. I open my bible to Proverbs 29:25 "Whoever trusts in the Lord is SAFE". That is such a motivating invitation to trust.

There is a song that I have listened to many times in the past week. I had no idea why I could not get the song out of my head. Everytime I got in the car, I cranked my music up and sang this as loud as I could. The chorus is so powerful. The song is "Not For A Moment" by Meredith Andrews. As I was listening to this song again this morning, I realized why its been in my heart and mind lately. It speaks to why He is safe. He is constant. He is only good. He is sovereign. He never forsakes. He never witholds His presence from us. And, in His presence we are safe.