Safe

The first thing I thought when my husband passed away was: I’m not safe anymore. He was my ‘safe’. If the car had a flat, he took care of it. If the house needed a repair, he did it or found someone who could. If we were in an area that seemed a little sketchy, I had no doubt he would protect me. I’ve been a Jesus follower for over 42 years. I know my Bible. But what I learned in this: I misplaced my safety.

In the last four months I’ve had two water leaks, a door replaced, septic tank back up, well water softener failure, minor electrical problems, interruption in power that took almost a month to fully rectify, had to find a new person to mow the lawn, had to find someone to trim trees before heavy storms start up, dead animals in the pool, minor car issues, and I’m sure I’m forgetting some things. Some of these I patted myself on the back for and felt like I was big girl. Some have brought tears to my eyes as I longed for my hubby to do what he always did.

Then there’s God. The One who is in the smallest details of my life. Does He fix everything? No. I still must go through the trials. But He has showed me over and over again: I’m not alone. I am safe. The tree trimmer wants to do it for free because he wants to take care of widows. The water guys have come out even on a holiday weekend and not charged me extra. And the goodness of God in all these things has humbled and strengthened my heart.

A favorite verse of mine is Psalm 121:1: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (NIV) I live in south Florida, no hills here. But I am constantly looking up. Lifting my head to my Maker. The One who knows my calamities before they happen. The One who will never leave me regardless of the outcome of these things on earth.

Because this earth is not our home. This is a wandering journey on our way to our forever home. And on this journey the pitfalls grow us and stretch us and make us useful in the lives of others. Because, as much as we think it is, this life is not about us. It’s about Jesus and He writes His story through our lives and the impact we can have on others.

If we read the rest of the Psalm 121 without the context of heaven, we may question where is God in any given circumstance? The ill child, the abused friend, the terrorist attack, the floods that wipe out houses. But when we read it in the context of eternity, we find our safety and our rest in a Person, not our circumstances.

The peace that passes understanding mentioned in Philippians 4:7 doesn’t mean all is right in our little worlds. It means all is right in our souls, in our forever. The God who calls us by name is the same God who guides us through this journey constantly reminding us that death is not the end, for with the last breath here comes the first breath in His waiting arms.

That day, safety will no longer be a topic. Brokenness will no longer be reality. Uncertainty, fear, worry, anxiety, pain, tears – all will have flown away as though they never were. Because they will never, ever be again.