STORM SHELTER

Jer 15:10-21; God is my refuge on the day of distress; Mat 13:44-46

In today's psalm we read the response, "God is my refuge on the day of distress."

The word refuge in hebrew is manos which is literally a place where one flees quickly in time of danger like a storm shelter or cellar.  These would be common places found in tornado alley or places where high winds are common.  Folks built these shelters for just that purpose.

There is an expectation that danger will arise suddenly and the need of protection would be both immediate and great.  Shelters provide security that is always near.

The thing about the shelter is that it is always available and always accessible.  We must simply open the door and go in and find the security for which we are looking.

IS not God the same way!  How often do we simply not open the door?  How often do we choose to stay outside and try to weather the storm on our own and blame God for not helping?

All the while he is there like a storm shelter just waiting for us to step inside.

The psalmist begs God to rescue him from his enemies.  What if we are our worst enemy?  What if the enemy we pursue is our own stubbornness to submit to God's will?  how often we want God's help but we want him to help us according to our plan and our way not his?

Jeremiah finds this out in the first reading.  His anger has grown self-centered.  Rather than being angry at the destruction King Manasseh has brought upon Israel by his wickedness, he has turned his hatred and angry toward his own plot.

He has become too self-preserving and is no longer serving God who had called him to be a prophet to the nation.   God says it best, "if you bring forth the precious without the vile, you shall be my mouth piece."

God simply tells Jeremiah to get over him self and look outward not inward.  His plight is no different than all those afflicted in the nation by the destruction due to their evil choices.

We too sometimes become too self-preserving and forget to let God do the saving.