Safe Place

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

There is something calming and soothing about this well known verse. Another translation says it like this “God is our safe place and our strength. He is always our help when we are in trouble.” Do you have a safe place? One where you can retreat to, and you won’t be bothered by some of those well meaning people who don’t seem to be able to help, and a bit like Job’s comforters? If we don’t have a physical place, I would hazard a guess that you do it in the recesses of your mind.

We all need a refuge, or as I prefer, a ‘safe place’ where problems can be met head on, without someone saying, “don’t worry it will work out”. I know they mean well, but there are times you need to sort things out on your own because you know in your heart that things will not just ‘work out’ by themselves. Some problems need to be faced, and tackled, not ignored.

It doesn’t matter what age you are, or how clever, we know deep down when a problem has gone on for too long and now has to be encountered and dealt with. No two people are the same, and no two problems are the same. Every person and problem is uniquely personal, and therefore needs our personal attention. This is exactly the time that you and I need that ‘safe place’ where God can be allowed to work and speak into our heart. In the silence of our safe place, we may find that the resolution is in our own hands. Do we need to forgive someone? I don’t mean only to say I’m sorry, but to go that step further and forgive? No one said it would be easy, but it might just be what is needed. Many times it doesn’t matter whose fault it was or who started it, we need to reset our life and relationship. I have found that when I retreat to that quiet place, and God’s will becomes apparent, He does not show me the problems that need resolved in my friend’s life, but shows me the failings that must be addressed in my own. God is good, and so where better to start than in our place of refuge that is God’s safe place?

Forgiveness

And forgive us …..    as we also have forgiven. Matthew 6:12

Are we serious about forgiving those who might have slighted or wronged us, whether in a small way or a massively huge way? Don’t gloss over the question. Give it the consideration it deserves in light of the words of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer.

It is quite easy for us to wrong someone, whether deliberately, or even unintentionally, but it is another matter altogether to reach out in forgiveness, and importantly, to be sincere about it. There is the small matter of our pride which gets in the way, which means we will have to climb down publicly. The more people we have involved, the harder the climb down and greater the humiliation. We don’t like that, do we? I know I don’t.

If we are serious about claiming the name of Jesus, and calling ourselves Christian, we cannot ignore the words of Jesus which simply say, I will forgive you when you forgive your brother or sister. Ouch. Really? Is it that serious? It certainly is, and it will benefit us in ways we cannot imagine. After all, saying sorry releases you from the burden and guilt of unforgiveness, and lets you breathe easily again. Sure, your brother gets forgiven but I believe the bigger benefit is for the one who forgives!

Sorry or Caught?

I have tried to follow some of the Commons Select Committee questioning of Murdoch father and son, regarding the ongoing phone hacking investigation into the 'News of the World' reporters and private investigators. Ok, so I am a sad person, but I was interested to see the Murdochs in action under questioning.

I hadn't thought it possible, but I actually started to feel sorry for the ageing tycoon. He was not as sharp as I had imagined, and didn't come across as the fearsome individual he has been portrayed as. In fact, the committee came across as a group who were happy to tear them apart, and relied on the stumbling age of the elderly man under investigation. They sensed blood, and went for the jugular. As far as I could see, they didn't uncover anything new. All they did was allow the guilty pair to say 'sorry' again. Maybe the committee will feel better now that they have 'given them a kicking', but not done anything else constructive. I saw them being questioned as if they were guilty of genocide in the European Court of The Hague.

We should be very aware of these tactics. The same kind of courtroom antics were used 2,000 years ago when Jesus was tried before his crucifixion, by a group of select leaders, albeit church leaders. Very few people gave Jesus any chance to prove his innocence, and yet he was very innocent.

When I pull myself back, and look at the situation, I am not sure if the Murdochs are sorry for their illegal actions, or sorry they were caught. There is a great big difference, and it is the difference between regret and repentance. Oh I know that's a very old word, but if you think about the deeper meaning, it determines how they will behave in future. Will they go back to their old ways after the heat has died down, or will they change their ways. That would also be seen as a change of heart. Maybe, just maybe, this very rich old man is now getting the chance to see what his ruthlessness in earlier business life has caused, and maybe just maybe he is truly sorry. If there is any remnant of goodness left from his family upbringing, and he is aware of the concept of a heavenly reward, and a deserving hell, he may now be reviewing his life through different eyes.

This all comes back to the question of 'who is our judge?' I would suggest it is not the Commons Select Committee, or any Judge Led Inquiry, but an Almighty God who sits above all other earthy judges. I don't know about you, but I am increasingly grateful that my eternal future is in His hands, and none other.