Learn more about how to live in harmony with others with Dr. Muriel’s Recipe for Peace.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

I grew up in a musical family.  My mother played the piano and mandolin.  Dad played the violin and drums. My brother played the trumpet.  And I played the piano, organ, clarinet, and saxophone. For some reason, they wouldn’t let me carry a piano in the high school band.

As a pianist I have often helped others to get their instruments tuned up to the piano.  With stringed instruments, every string must be tuned for the music to sound right. My father tuned pianos, and they have many more strings than hand-held instruments!  If several keys are flat compared to the rest, there goes the harmony.

If several strings can cause disharmony in an instrument, just think what a few disgruntled Christians can do to a church. Well, think about it.  Perhaps you can remember a church split of some kind that separated and scattered the people, and all because a few persons spread disharmony.

Do we listen?  Do we join the discord? How can we save the harmony in our church?

• When we first perceive the clink of a discordant note, we can get right with the Lord if necessary. Check Romans 12:1-2 and Psalm 51.  Walking close to the Lord enables us to hear His guiding voice of wisdom. He fills our hearts with love and concern for our fellow Christians–all of them. He restrains us from adding to the discordance.
• Abstain from gossip, criticism, or caustic debate.  As we walk with Jesus, we will know in our hearts just how we may contribute to harmony and not to the cacophony.
• Pray, pray, pray!  Often when a piano gets out of tune, moisture may be involved.  Well, when a church gets out of tune, the devil is probably involved.  Peter counsels the church, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

“Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:8-9) The devil loves to tear up churches!

Ephesians 4:26 tells us, “In your anger do not sin; do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”  We may get involved in church disharmony when we get up our “righteous indignation”.  (Well, hey, that sounds a little more “Christian” than anger, doesn’t it?)

Our Lord knows the right way to handle every situation with a minimum of ill feelings.  As we pray, God will show us His way to deal with anything–and He will help in the resolution.

God’s Word twice gives the following recipe for harmony:  “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.  He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.” (1 Pet. 3:10-12; Ps. 34:12-16)  And Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9)

Lord, Help me to be a peacemaker in my circle of influence. Amen.

Questions: Are you part of the disharmony in your church? What steps can you take to become a peacemaker instead of causing disharmony?

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, You’ve Already Won, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

As church pianist I started to play the introduction for the choir during the morning service. After several measures, I glanced at the keyboard and was so startled that I almost missed a beat. There, on middle D, lay a stunned cockroach flailing its legs. Obviously it had run into the path of my flying fingers.

What could I do? Gritting my teeth, I went on, gingerly trying to avoid middle D, but not always able to do so. (The choir number would be in the Key of D!) Finally, halfway through the first verse I was able to flick the now-deceased roach onto the floor. (Well, that’s one way to kill a roach!)

Some problems we may face are not so easily resolved as a cockroach on a keyboard. They might not be brushed off during the first phase of the situation. We may have to live with them longer than the first verse. But I have learned that if I just keep looking to the Lord for grace and trusting Him with a problem, He takes care of it one way or another.

Sometimes as we pray, He shows us ways to make the situation easier, as I did by avoiding the “middle” D while I played. Sometimes He shows us how to deal with the situation, as I did by flicking that roach to the floor during a whole note in the melody. (Thank heavens for piano “hold” foot pedals!)

Then during or after the resolving of the problem, there’s the cleanup.  After church I went to the rest room and washed my hands off using liquid soap. But in dealing with life’s problems, we may often need a more comprehensive spiritual cleanup.

It may be necessary to ask the Lord to forgive us if we have sinned. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  We may discover a need to forgive any who have hurt us. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

And let’s never forget the One Who guided and helped us! Let’s thank and praise Him for His help and deliverance.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever” (Psalms 107:1)

Question: Are there problems you’re facing that you haven’t yet brought to the Lord in prayer?

Are you tired of a defeated Christian life? Take this Study.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4)!

How can we have love, peace, joy, and victory in our lives? Well, God’s Word tells us to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). And when we are filled with the Spirit, we not only have love, peace, and joy, we have the beautiful qualities of patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). We can be filled with the Spirit, and continue to be so by following these Scriptural instructions:

Repent: Of anything–actions, attitudes, words, bad habits–anything that might stand between you and the peace and joy of the Lord.  True acknowledgment of sin and sorrow over it releases its hold over you and your life. (See James 4:8-10)

Surrender To God: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in views of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and please to God—which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2).

Ask God’s Forgiveness Whenever You Err: To keep Christ’s peace and joy, don’t ever let anything come between you and Him. (See 1 John 1:9)

Forgive: God, Yourself, Others:  Ask the Lord to reveal to you if there is anyone who has ever done you ill whom you need to forgive; and with His help, forgive that person. Do  this to exorcise the ghosts in your past that may rise up periodically to haunt you and hurt your life and relationships.  Do this to have peace with God, yourself, and others.  (See Luke 11:4, Mark 11:25-26, Ephesians 4:32.)

Trust in The Lord In Everything: Be anxious about nothing (Philippians 4:4-8).

Begin Your Day by Rejoicing in the Lord praising and thanking Him (Psalm 34:1).  Enjoy life to the fullest!  Report to the Lord for duty each morning, willing to serve Him however He may wish, in whatever He may want to do through you, in ministering to others, in being His light to your world.

Whenever Something Gets you Down, Praise The Lord (even and especially when you don’t feel like it).  This will lift you out of the dungeon of despair (Acts 16:25-26).  It worked for Paul and Silas; and it works for me every time!

Control Your Thoughts: Bring every thought into obedience to Christ (1 Corinthians 10:5). Be on guard against our enemy Satan and his devious devices.  Study            Ephesians 4:26-5:11, Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8.

Serve the Lord: He has given you a gift or gifts–and talents–with which to serve Him, His people, and others for His glory.  Seek His guidance.

Read: Psalms 23, 34, 37, 51; Matthew 5 to 7; John 14 to 17; Romans 6, 7, 8, and 12; Galatians 5; Book of Ephesians; Philippians 4–until you fully understand what it is to die to self and walk in the Spirit.

Memorize: Psalms 23 and 34; Proverbs 3:5-8; Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 6:9-15, 31-33; Luke 10:17; John 10:27-28; Romans 5:8, 6:11; 8:18, 28; 10:9-13; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 10:13, 31; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 12:9-10; Galatians 2:20, 4:7, 6:2; Ephesians 2:8-10, 4:32, 6:10-18; Philippians 1:6, 3:13-14, 4:4-8, 11, 13; Colossians 3:2-3; 2 Timothy 1:7, 12; Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 John 1:9, 4:4, 18-21.

Lord, give me your incredible joy, peace, and victory! Amen

Questions: We’re only human. How can we consistently have Christ’s joy, peace, and victory? How can we find time to do all the things we need to do to have Christ’s joy and peace?

Are you tired of living a defeated Christian life? Why not check out this video.

Carol’s parents were divorced when she was two, and she never knew her father. Although she became a Christian at an early age, she could never see anything good that came out of her having to grow up in a broken home.  The hurt had always festered in her heart.

But now the hurt is healed.  God used an experience that happened while she was teaching fifth grade in a rural school.

Carol had a gifted, artistic boy in her class.  Mark loved to do bulletin boards and displays, and Carol developed a special feeling of warmth toward this creative child.

As the year progressed, however, she noticed that the lad seemed increasingly troubled about something.  It bothered her to see him gradually lose his enthusiasm for his creative work.

One day Mark came to see her after school and said, “I won’t be in school tomorrow.  I have to go to my grandmother’s.”

“Why?” Carol asked him.

“My parents are going to court to get a divorce,” he answered.  Then he started to cry.

Carol put her hand on his arm and said, “Mark, I know how much this hurts you.  My parents were divorced when I was not quite two years old, and it has hurt me a lot.  I never even knew my father.  But you have had yours with you for 11 years, and I’m sure he loves you and will keep in touch with you.  Just because your parents are getting divorced doesn’t mean you won’t have a happy life.  God has a purpose for your life, Mark.  And even though this has happened with your parents, someday you can have a happy marriage, just as I now have.”

After Mark left, Carol sat there at her desk.  Suddenly, she realized she was thankful she could use her experience to comfort Mark in a way she could not otherwise have done. She knew that God could bring good out of this bad experience by giving her the opportunity to help others.  She realized that many, like Mark, were suffering from the same emotional hurt as she had.  How wonderful it would be if her encouragement, support, and testimony would lift their hearts too!

That day Carol learned what God’s Word means when it says, “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As she bowed her head and thanked God for the blessing He could bring from this unhappy dimension of her childhood, the resentment and pain she had carried for years began to dissolve and relinquish their hold.  Tears ran down her face–but they were tears of joy.

Thank you, Father God, that You redeem our lives. Amen.

Questions: How does the verse “Give thanks in all circumstances” apply to your life?  Do you have difficult experiences that have happened in your life that you need to thank God for?

Are you feeling lonely? Do you need a friend? We are here for you.

The bright, cheerful-looking marigolds have long been one of my favorite annuals. They bloom in my area from May through October in just about any soil or situation. In the fall, when I clean up my vegetable garden, I scatter the marigold seeds around; and up they come in the spring. They rid the soil of nematodes and Mexican bean beetles, and various harmful insects dislike them.

I’ve heard that dried marigold petals can make a tea that settles nerves and helps a person to sleep if taken an hour before bedtime.  They can be used to flavor salads, omelets, hamburger, and stuffing, and with roasts, beef, and chicken.  They are said to kill certain germs in the body. Mixed with Vaseline or cold cream, they make a salve for wounds.

As I think of the protective qualities of this hardy plant, I’m reminded of the solicitude the Apostle Paul had for his fellow Christians. He wrote to the Christians at Rome, “I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to make you strong” (Romans 1:11). Paul cared about their sorrows and burdens; he earnestly desired that they would be knit together in love and come to know and experience the riches of God.

How our fellow Christians today need that same care shown to them! So many have fallen away from the Lord for one reason or another. Many of their marriages, their homes have fallen apart. Our young people today, as well as adults, are assaulted by temptations and mind defilers that many of us of the older generation never dreamed of, because in former times society as a whole upheld certain moral values.

Do we care what happens to our fellow Christians? In my counseling I have heard many tales of how badly lives, marriage, and children have been hurt in such cases. If we can just help one person keep from going astray, or help one come back to the Lord, we might save a world of misery, or we might even save a life.

If you have not been a marigold type of Christian up to now–one, that is, who is caring and protective of your brothers and sisters in Christ–why not ask the Lord to lay on your heart someone who may need your solicitude and help?

We can not only help those who have fallen away, but also those who need comfort, encouragement and physical or spiritual aid. Oh, how we need more marigold Christians! Joy fills a marigold Christian’s heart like a sunbeam and shines its light into the hearts of those who need it.

Questions: Is there someone in your life that you could give some encouragement and comfort to? What difference has it made in your life when someone has taken the time to comfort you in time of sorrow?

Are you having difficulty letting go of the past? Come talk to one of us.

After many years away, I was visiting my hometown, Ocean Gate, New Jersey.  For a long time I had wished I could go back – perhaps because of all the wonderful memories I cherished.

Parking my car near the deserted yacht club and boardwalk, I walked toward the house in which I had grown up.

Standing across the street, I stared at it.  It seemed so forlorn and different!  The large plate-glass windows that had surrounded my parents’ real estate office (and our living room) had been replaced by two small windows framed in black. The place looked closed up, unlived in.

Memories flooded back to me – my parents, my little brother, all the friends I had had. Since I played the piano, that living room had been a meeting place for young people.  Guys would bring their instruments, guys and gals would come to sing or listen.  Or we’d meet at the nearby beach to swim, duck each other, laugh, and have beach parties with fires, hot dogs, and marshmallows–and sometimes music.

A tear slid down my cheek – those days were gone forever!  They couldn’t be found here. This was no longer my beloved Ocean Gate.

While there, I visited some old friends.  Through the years they had changed a lot – and so had I.  Also, my brother and my father were with the Lord.  They too were gone.

It’s nice to remember all the good family and friends times.  We can cherish them.  But we can never go back to them; they are gone with time.

These thoughts occur to me:

1) We can’t go back and undo the past
Of what value are useless regrets?  If we feel guilty about something we did or didn’t do in the past, our Lord has a remedy: His precious blood that cleanses us of all sin.  When we ask for forgiveness, He grants it.  And if He forgives us, we need to forgive ourselves!  Jesus said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”  How can we love our neighbor, if we can’t love ourselves in the certainty of forgiveness?

2) We can do something about the present and the future
Starting today we can begin making our lives count for Jesus Christ and eternity.  If you need salvation, receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior.  If you desire God’s guidance as to what you should do for Him, ask Him for it – and then follow His light.  God said, “I will guide you with mine eye.”

Let’s follow the Apostle Paul’s example.  He said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14, NIV).

Questions: As Easter has come and gone do you need to reach forward to what God has for you in His resurrection power?

Is your world coming to an end? Can we pray for you?

My daughter Lori and I were playing badminton.  “I’d like for you to pray about this problem I’ve been having, honey,” I said.

She dropped her racket and came to my side of the net.  Taking my hands in hers, she said, “Let’s pray about it right now, Mom.”

Touched, I bowed my head and we prayed.  Later, it dawned on me that Lori had gotten the idea to pray immediately about problems from me.  Even when she was small, I would take her hands in mine and say, “Let’s pray about it right now.” In addressing the proper training of children, the Bible indicates that they learn little by little and through the repetition of a parent’s instructions (Isaiah 28:9-10). It takes patience!

Children learn from us daily, not only from what we say but what we do. They look up to us, mimic us, and from us they learn attitudes, ways of speaking, and basic beliefs.  Our responsibility as parents is an awesome one indeed!

The Bible gives us a standard to live by, along with a beautiful promise in Proverbs 3:1-2. If we do not forget God’s teachings and hide them in our hearts, they will prolong our lives many years and bring us prosperity.  In order for us to provide Christian models for our children, we ourselves have to know and live by Christian principles.  Our guidebook is the Bible.

Showing Love
When Lori was younger, I would hold her on my lap, rock her, and sing, “Mommy loves you, and Jesus does too!”  Finally the day came when she said, “I love you, Mommy.”

“God is love,” the Bible says. (1 John 4:8)  As we show our love for God to our children, as well as our love for them, they make a connection.  They learn to love not only us, but God and their fellow human beings. They grow up following the two most important commandments given us by Jesus.  (See Matthew 22:37-39)

Truly loving other people is sometimes difficult.  We can show genuine love for others at times.  But occasionally we may act or speak in ways that demonstrate to our children that we don’t really love others at all.  For example, if we criticize leaders in our church in the presence of our children, they will get a distorted view of what loving others really means. Genuine love for God, for our fellow Christians, and for non-Christians fills our heart when we become filled with the Holy Spirit.  (See Galatians 5:22)

The Example We Set
Children gain impressions of the importance of church attendance from the example we set as parents.  Our influence will be much greater if we attend church enthusiastically rather than reluctantly.  What is our home atmosphere like on Sunday mornings?  Do we set the proper tone for worship by getting the family up in time to dress unhurriedly and have breakfast?  What do we talk about on the way home from church?  If we speak lovingly of our church and its members, we give our children a far better impression than if we talk negatively.

The Apostle Paul called Timothy “O man of God” and “my dearly beloved son.” Timothy became a man of God because of the sincere faith first lived in Timothy’s Christian mother and grandmother. Faith is contagious. Genuine faith reveals itself in numerous ways during the routine activities of life.  It shows itself in our response to every situation.

Children are alert to what is going on around them. They absorb almost everything they see and hear.  Have you ever had your children voice an exact expression you have used?  In a similar manner, your child will imitate the response you have made to God in your life.

Do we want our children to really know the Lord?  Then we need to learn to trust Him ourselves with all our hearts.  (See Proverbs 3:5-6.)  Let us practice taking our problems to Him in prayer and trust Him to help us find solutions.  Let us study our Bibles to find direction for our lives.  When we utilize these aids to effective Christian living in our daily lives, we cannot help but pass them on to our children.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: As a parent, what do you hope for?

Questions: How would you explain the verse “God is love” to a pre Christian?

About the Author Muriel Larson

Searching for meaning to existence? Tell us your thoughts

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Chinese man shivered and pulled the collar of his shabby coat up around his neck to protect himself from the pelting rain.  Through the darkness of the night he saw the lights of a rescue mission, and they seemed to offer a place of shelter.  Following another man in, he found himself in a chapel.  He fell into a seat at the rear, groggily wondering why people were singing.

Then some men stood up to tell about how Jesus Christ had saved them from a life of sin, alcohol and drugs, from the power those things once had over their lives.  The miserable man looked up hopefully.  How long he had sought release from the bondage of opium–the “demon on his back”!  After twenty-three times in sanitariums, he was still a slave.

The speaker also told how Jesus Christ delivers from sin and enslaving habits.  At an invitation, the man stumbled forward to seek deliverance.  It took the workers at the mission three days to bring the man to a coherent state.  Then they asked him, “Did you really mean it when you came forward to receive Jesus Christ?”

“I have just one question,” the man said.  “Did Jesus Christ die for the Chinese too?”

“Yes,” came the answer.  “Christ died for all people.”

“Then I want Him for my Savior,” said the man.  Instantly and finally delivered from his long enslavement, the happy man became a faithful witness for Christ, telling all he met about how Christ had delivered him from the drug habit and had saved his soul and life.

What a wonderful thing it is to realize that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not limited to only one nation or for only one type of person.  The Bible says, “And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation’” (Revelation 5:9).

God’s Salvation Plan
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

“To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ” (Romans 6:23).

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9, 13).

Are You Saved?

Many people think they are Christians, but what if they have never truly received Jesus Christ as their Savior?  How about you? Do you hope you will go to heaven someday, perhaps because you think you are a good person, or go to church, or got baptized? Well, to get to heaven, we have to do it God’s way, as the above Scriptures specify. On the other hand, do you think that you are too bad to be saved, too unworthy?

Well, no one is worthy!  The good news is that Jesus Christ died for your sins on the cross just as He did for that poor enslaved Chinese.  Why not bow your head right now and, humbly repenting, receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. Ask Him to save you and transform your life.  And He will! He’s only a prayer away.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: How to be sure you are a Christian

Questions: Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior? Why don’t you tell us about a time when you first decided to follow Jesus.

About the Author Muriel Larson

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!” (Philippians 1:21-22)

For many years I have enjoyed good health. I guess that’s why I was so surprised to learn recently that I have cancer and might only have six months to live. And not just any cancer–oh, no! My cancer is a rare aggressive cancer called “inflammatory breast cancer” and doctors and mammograms don’t discover it until it is too late to do much about it!

When it spreads through the entire chest of a person, it finally shows itself in a dramatic way. One day when I was changing my clothes, I got the big surprise. A big, ugly rash appeared. That’s when I went to the doctor–and after a cat scan, got the verdict.

I have lived in the love, peace, and joy of the Lord for many years, no matter what happened. And it didn’t fail me then. When my doctor sadly told me that I only had six months to live, my Lord’s peace and joy filled me, and I wasn’t upset at all.

During the following month I went around to various hospitals and their departments to get scans and tests, and everywhere I went I was able to witness to doctors, nurses, office workers, and other patients about the peace and joy the Lord gives. I don’t imagine they see many cancer patients with a big smile on their face!

But I had one big concern. About 10 years ago Power to Change, (which was called Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada back then) asked me to become the e-mail counselor for their Christian Women Today site. I had published many advice articles on their site and was delighted to take on this new expanded role. That’s how I became “Dr. Muriel” (for I do have a doctorate and am a certified counselor).

I have had the amazing privilege of helping troubled people all over the world by e-mail, and pointing them to Jesus Christ, who can help us with every problem. Since then I have given advice to thousands of troubled people. TruthMedia now has over 600 mentors to handle all the requests they get. But because of my training and doctorate, tough problems are often assigned to me–as well as a number of the easier ones when they are swamped with requests for mentors.

I earnestly desired the blessing of continuing to do this ministry for I know from experience that Jesus Christ can change lives. So I adopted the same attitude the Apostle Paul had when he wrote, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Yet if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Phil. 1:21-24). Knowing my Lord will do what is best, I have lived in His love, peace, and joy. And now I know I will be with my Lord perhaps very soon!

Editor’s note: Today as I edit this Dr. Muriel is in intensive care. Things have progressed faster than anyone could have expected.  We are surprised, but God is not and I take comfort knowing that he has a place prepared for Muriel. Perhaps it’s just about ready.

As you read this devo please pray for Dr. Muriel’s two daughters as they walk this hard road with their Mom. Pray that they would know and feel the goodness of God in this time, the strength of His love and the depth of His provision.

Dr. Muriel has written countless articles over the years and has answered a mountain of mentoring emails.  Whenever we got a really hard question you’d hear someone say “I’m sending this to Dr. Muriel”. She never backed down from the challenge.  It didn’t matter how serious the situation was, how deep someone’s confusion, how much they doubted God, Dr. Muriel always patiently and carefully responded to them.

Last year I got an email from a former soldier who wondered if the Dr. Muriel on our site was the same one who had given him a Bible more than 20 years previously. He told a story of a dark time in his life and this lady who listened to him and handed him a Bible that changed his life. I sent the email to Dr. Muriel and sure enough, that was her address the soldier remembered and she remembered him. I do not doubt that when she gets to Heaven this will turn out to be just one of a host of similar stories.  She has been the definition of a good and faithful servant and I know that we will miss her very much.

About the Author:  Muriel Larson

Need someone to pray for you?

“Four things on earth are small, but they are exceeding wise” (Proverbs 30:24).

One of these four things mentioned are the conies: “Conies are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags” (Proverbs 30:26). The conies are soft-furred, hare-like animals. They are timid and cautious, for they realize how defenseless they are. When an enemy comes, they scoot quickly to a rock covert, for they stay near their refuge. That’s how they stay alive, happy, and out of trouble.

In many respects we human beings are weak, too. In speaking to His disciples, the Lord Jesus Christ recognized the inherent weakness in even those who seek to follow Him. He said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

Even they who love the Lord are subject to doubts, fears, temptations and troubles. But they have a rock covert, too, where they can flee when arise these threats to their testimonies, faith, peace and joy. The Bible says, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2).

Run to the rock

When doubts and fears assail us, the Lord wants to be our Rock, our Fortress and our Deliverer. As we look to Him, He strengthens us. Every doubt or fear that man is prone to may be completely forgotten as we rest safely in Him.

No matter what the doubt concerns, the answer is the same. We may throw ourselves completely within the hiding place. Isaiah 32:2 says, “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest” (KJV). The Lord Jesus Christ is that Man; and if we trust completely in Him as our Savior, He is our Rock.

Sometimes storms of temptation assail us. Psalm 71:3 says, “Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go.” The Lord is our Refuge from temptation, too. Christians are under constant assault from the enemy Satan and his demonic legions. But we can be wise like the conies and stay near our Refuge at all times, under all circumstances.

Foolish cony, foolish people

A cony that didn’t stay near its refuge would be pounced on by the enemy and devoured. Satan, like a roaring lion, is seeking whom he may devour. And Christians who get too far from their Refuge may get waylaid!

The Prophet Isaiah warned some foolish people who didn’t stay near their Refuge. He said to the Children of Israel of his day: “All will be desolation. You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress” (Isaiah 17:9-10).

When trouble comes, our Rock is a wonderful hiding place. “My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:7-8) He soothes the troubled heart and gives the weary soul the rest and peace it needs.

How wonderful it must be for the cony as he peers out from under his rock covert at his enemy to know that nothing can touch him under that rock. He is safe and secure. He need not fear, for he is wise. How much more wonderful it is to know the Lord as our Rock!

Questions: When troubles come, where do you go?

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: Find your safe place

About the Author Muriel Larson