The headlines… Every day lately it’s been something worse, hasn’t it?! All over the globe, it’s overwhelming. Unimaginable. Heart breaking. Gut wrenching. Tragic. Forever life altering. Fear producing. Peace stealing.
Is there any hope for rest from violence, terror, anger? What are we to do? What are we to think about all of this? So many opinions are blasted across our screens… who is right? How do we process all we are seeing, hearing, experiencing… and make sense of it all in light of who we are as Children of The One True God?
I don’t dare pretend to have all of the answers, but as I’m listening to the news and praying for those latest victims of terror and violence tonight, there are two things the Lord is leading me to share:
1. We must constantly remind ourselves that this world is NOT our permanent dwelling place. It’s not our home. We have to emulate people of faith who have gone before us, and live in this world as a contributing visitor, but not as a resident whose be all and end all is in this earth and all of our stuff here.
2. When we want to run away from it all, we must run to the right place.
Run to You –
Written by Dave Haywood / Charles Kelley / Hillary Scott / Tom Douglas
Chorus:
And when it all starts coming undone
I love that! But I love these words even more…
The name of the LORD
is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it
and are protected.
Proverbs 18:10
Do you need a place to run to? Need a place of protection in this season of your life? Need a place of safety when everywhere you turn seems too overwhelming? You have an open invitation to Run to your Daddy through the names of the Lord.
You can find the names of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture. Especially in the Psalms, we find the names and characteristics of our God listed in almost every chapter. A clue in finding them: Look for phrases that start with “The Lord ___” or “God is ___” or “The Lord/God does ___”. And usually when the Psalmist is talking TO God and says “You” or “Your”, a characteristic of the Lord follows.
Keep a running list {no pun intended :-)} on a piece of paper tucked in your Bible. That way, when you find one, you can quickly write it down.
This site has 928 names of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit found in scripture, listed in alphabetical order. Nine hundred and twenty eight!!! That’s a huge treasure and tower!!!
If you need a special place of protection and comfort in the Lord, I encourage you to search the Scriptures for Who He is that you can run into and find safety. Use this linked list. Print it, tuck it in your Bible, and RUN to the Word (and your list of God’s names) when you are stressed, fearful, lonely, depressed, overwhelmed, sad, waiting, and even joyful!
Because… this is the promise in Psalm 9:10:
Those who know your name
trust in you,
for you, O LORD,
do not abandon those who search for you.
Psalm 9:10 (NLT)
My friends, when our world keeps spinning faster… May the Lord catch you as you run to your Father – a Strong Tower… and keep you safe.
Blessings of the Lord upon you, and may He comfort us all as we run back to Him~
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