Finding Refuge in a Manger

Greetings fellow travelers,

I must apologize profusely for my lack of postings. The holiday season has been a bit more intensive this year than in the past. There has been much going on around here getting my home ready for my sisters' arrival from my former home in Buffalo, NY (And No, there is not 6 feet of snow on the ground yet to trudge through -- YET!!!) There has been whole a lot of running and driving around for supplies. The weather has been more rainy than I remember and more than once I have found myself seeking refuge amongst dry places in malls, Big Lots and Home Depot.

Today's devotional passage is

Psalm 68:33-35 (HCSB):

³³ to Him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens.
Look, He thunders with His powerful voice!
³⁴ Ascribe power to God.
His majesty is over Israel,
His power among the clouds.
³⁵ God, You are awe-inspiring in Your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people.
May God be praised!

Finding refuge is not a concept that most of us relate to in the physical sense. We have our comfortable homes and vehicles and the freedom to come and go without restraint. The physical freedom we experience can sometimes hide the emotional need for refuge, until someone or something brings it all to the surface and we cannot avoid or ignore the reality of our need. It is at this very important point in time that our concept of God comes more and more into focus.

If we are not careful we can spend all our lives around the circumference of the circle of knowing God and never actually get to the center of it. It is easy to get caught up in the mechanics of living a Christian lifestyle and not truly understand what it means to take refuge in a Christian Life. 

Focus on the word 'sanctuaries' in verse 35. Webster defines this word as "sacred, a holy place, as a building set aside for worship, a place of refuge or protection" The image is one of a church or other building where we go to find relationship with friendly faces or even God.

However, in this Christmas season when we await with growing anticipation the birth of the Christ Child, instead of the word 'sanctuaries' - substitute the word 'Manger' !!!  

re-read the 35th verse ---

God, You are awe-inspiring in Your MANGER.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people.
May God be praised!

Now reread the whole Psalm with the word 'MANGER' .

Meditate on this during this season. Taking Refuge in the SANCTUARY of the MANGER which gave refuge to the Christ Child -- Emmanuel 'God With US'!!!

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Merry CHRISTmas