OUR SHELTER

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”

Psalms 61:2, 3

King James Version

Vernon J. Charlesworth wrote the beautiful hymn “A Shelter in the Time of Storm”.  “Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A Shelter in the time of storm.”  In this world of violence, drugs, murders, rapes, child abuse and wife beating, we desperately need Jesus, our Rock and Shelter to protect us.

Several years ago, a little boy came to my home and asked if he could come inside.  He told me he was hungry and afraid to go home because He was afraid he would get hit again.  I submit to you on the authority of the Word of God that the abuse of children has got to stop!!  It hurts Jesus and makes Him angry when children are abused.

There are some children that run and hide every time they hear their parents come home because they are afraid of being hit, cursed, kicked and sometime even tortured.  One day, these parents will stand before God and give an account of how they treated their children.  God loves our children more than we do and every parent will have to give an account of how they raised their children.

We read in the Bible.  “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:13,14).

Several years ago, the church I was attending had a mission’s conference.  Foreign missionaries and home missionaries told about their work and showed slides of their work.  When I saw the hungry children in the slides of the foreign missionaries, I cried but when I saw the hungry children in the slides of the missionaries here at home, I not only cried, I got angry.

I receive emails telling me how wonderful I am because I write devotions.  I appreciate those emails because all of us need to be encouraged but don’t look to me or to your pastor or to your Sunday school teacher.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and on Him alone.  Jesus will never hurt you or fail you.  When we hurt Jesus as we all do at times, He still loves us.  What a Saviour!  What a Friend, this Jesus of Nazareth!

Heavenly Father, I bring every boy and girl to You.  Please protect them.  Don’t let their parents hit them and abuse them.  I pray for the parents who are abusing their children.  Melt their hardened heart.  I pray You will pick every child in the world up in Your loving arms, go to Your rocking chair and rock them as You tenderly dry their tears with Your tender compassionate kisses.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

June 14, 2019