"Wave-tossed Wanderers"

Reflection

“For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a rainstorm against a wall.” - Isaiah 25:4 

God is all things to the Christian. Are you thirsty? He has living water. Are you hungry? He is the bread of life. Are you tired? He is your rest. Are you in need? He is your provider. Are you lonely? He is your friend who sticks closer than a brother. Are you in distress? He is your comforter. Are you broken? He is your healer. Do you feel bondage to the heavy chains of certain sins? He is your redeemer. If you are weak, He is your strength. If you are wandering and have lost your way, He is your shepherd. Jesus Christ is our all in all, and it would do us well to be still and meditate on this truth. 

The Lord has pity on His people. We are a weak and ragged bunch of wave-tossed wanderers. Although we wander in this world, we are not lost. We look forward to the city with foundations whose Architect and Builder is God, and are led by His kind providence. We are outcasts and strangers in this world, but we are known and loved by Christ. He has come to us and made His home with us (John 1423). Christian, do you remember walking with hatred toward God in your heart down your road to Demascus? I do. This same God who met us with mercy now defends us fiercely. For the breath of the ruthless is like a rainstorm against a wall, and the sin within us and around us rages like a mighty tempest. Were God not our defense, we would be helpless. But He defends the helpless, and is a defense for the needy in their distress. 

Today are you in distress? Does the road feel long, and has the journey taken its toll on your body and heart? Remember, if you are in Christ, God is your defense against the ruthlessness of this world. He stands guard and defends you, like when the mighty cherubim with his flaming sword defended the tree of life. Even in a miserable trial the Lord can say, “behold, all he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand” (Job 112). The Savior promised no ease or comfort in this life, but trouble. In tandem with that, He promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. What is more? The light and momentary afflictions of this life are not to be compared with the glory that is to come when we are forever in His presence. Let’s cling to God when we want to give up. 

In the waiting, let us run to Him for shelter from the wind and the rain. Let us rest in His word, trusting in His promises, and finding comfort in His faithfulness. To us He will be a refuge from the storm. Let us retreat beneath the shadow of His wing to escape the heat. Like sheep who lie down in the shade of the tree, let us also rest beneath the canopy of His grace. In doing so, we will be refreshed by the Lord and fit for every good work. For He is a haven of peace and rest for wave-tossed wanderers like us.