Apart From You

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you."—Psalm 16:1-2

When I feel strong, I rarely take refuge. Instead, it is when I need preservation that refuge beckons me. In weakness, despair, and confusion, I will look for any means possible of removing the challenge and finding a solution. The interesting thing is that refuge is not found by eliminating the problem and finding a solution — refuge is found in a person — the Lord. And notice it's a personal Lord — "my Lord." While God is Lord of circumstances, he wants more to be Lord of men; Lord of me and you.

Gentlemen, it is the challenges of life that drive us, refugees, to the Lord. While we want the problems to end, consider the fact that maybe the present trial is trying to get you to see that relief, solution, and peace is found in the Lord amidst the circumstances. What you may need are not new circumstances, but situations encountered with God who apart from there is nothing good.

DO THIS: Invite God to be Lord of you through the circumstances.

PRAY THIS: God, help me to take refuge in you, given my present challenges.