Safe - Sunday August 22, 2010
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 19:10
Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit, and the main character in the classic book The Hobbit. Bilbo lived a predictable, safe life with all the other hobbits in the Shire. Leaving the security of the Shire was unheard of until he met the great wizard Gandalf. During one of their adventures, Bilbo found a very powerful magic ring, which led him on more journeys outside the Shire. The ring's power also caused Bilbo to remain young, and gave him a sense of security for many years. We all like to feel safe and secure, but often what we trust in for safety is an illusion, and fails us in the end.
Are you trapped in a job, career, or relationship simply because it feels "safe"? I meet people all the time who fear change and doubt God's love, so they remain inside the safety and security of the Shire. They aren't convinced that God will provide the best, protect them, and give them the strength to do His will. I know men who stayed in a career or in the ministry because it paid the bills, and they didn't know what else to do to meet their needs. I know men and women who settled for a relationship with someone who lacked godly character. It felt like a safe place for these folks, even though they were unhappy, and had to make compromises. They played it safe like most good hobbits.
Should they have listened to their conscience and moved on?
Follow the leading of the Spirit, be committed to other Christians, and obey God's Word. Has God ever failed you? He is the only really safe place to run.
Submitted by:
Steve S. Nelson
GCM Missionary
Kiev, Ukraine
One-Year Reading Plan:
Job 4:1-7:21
1 Corinthians 14:18-40
Psalms 37:30-40
Proverbs 21:27
[Read
Online]
© 2013 Great Commission Association of Churches, Inc All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publisher.
Online Bible Services provided by
The Bible Gateway (TM) a service of
Gospel
Communications Network.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCB-ES: Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible B) The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy, Bible, New International Version, copyright B) 1973, 1978, 1984 by InternaB-tional Bible Society; (NKJV) are from New King James Version B) 1982 by Thomas Nelson; (NLT) are from the New Living Translation, B) 1996, Tyndale House Publishers; (ESV) are from English Standard VersionB., B) 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers; (TM) are from The Message B) 1993 by NavPress Publishers.