It Felt Like Shelter
When I volunteered at the suicide hotline one night a week overnight, a sign hung in the lunchroom that said, “it felt like shelter” and it had a picture of an umbrella over some people. I was tired working the overnight shift and it felt like such encouragement to me as I longed to be that to those in need, hurting and going through a storm in their lives.
It was such an amazing opportunity to encourage others. As I loved on them, listened to them, and heard their hearts, they would let me walk alongside of them and I would empower them to make decisions. Many of them had a broken will and felt helpless. They struggled with making decisions for themselves and would often go along whatever way people around them suggested—leading to poor choice after poor choice and heart-ache.
I could not pray for them directly but I could help them see the fruit of what was not working and empower them to start considering what they need and moving towards it. As part of reaching out for what they need and finding a supportive path, it often led to discussions around their local church. I thought, if they could just get into a church, they would begin to grow in wisdom and freedom.
As I began fostering my boys, I dropped working this suicide hotline. I felt that it was important that I put all my time and energy at the time with helping my boys and being there for them. This was important but God has never re-opened the door for me to go back to the suicide hotline. At times, I really miss it, especially working the night-shift one day a week. It was such a rich place that filled me up and kept me centered with perspective all week.
These folks that I ministered to on the phone have not always found a place of shelter or refuge at church, but this is what it is meant to be. Church is an extension of the family that is meant to bring life, love and healing to the broken and wounded. It is meant to be more than a religious gathering place. It is a place of hope that is life giving. It is meant to be a place where Christ is not only magnified by being lifted up, and glorified by us walking in greater holiness, but a safe place where the wounded and hurting are set free.
From this verse in Isaiah, we see that when Jesus reigns, those who are His leaders in His body, the church, are meant to be this place of healing and shelter from the storm. The church is meant to be a place where hurting and broken people feel safe, loved, protected and cared for. Where those around them walk alongside them and help them to grow into the things of the Lord.
Spiritually, as things are in right order, the kingdom of God moves in and pushes out the darkness. The darkness has to flee. Psalm 125:3 tells us that evil and darkness has no place in the land designated to the people of God. It will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, causing them to fall into evil.
Isaiah 32:3-4 goes on to say that when the righteous rulers are leading with justice and creating a shelter from the wind and refuge from the storm, then righteousness grows. It says, “Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed and the ears of those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.”
Even in my own house I have seen this. Initially, when I came to know the Lord, my husband was an unbeliever. He was skeptical, oppositional towards it, and told me to “return it.” But slowly, overtime, darkness has been pushed out. It started with just the things in our home changing to more and more light and faith statements. Then to praying before meals and then praying together for our kids.
The Lord gave me the verse for my husband (who is legally blind), “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” And he has been doing this.
Because my husband is legally blind, he does not like to attend church on the weekend but he does watch it with me online every weekend. He continues to grow in the things of the Lord and old thoughts and ways of looking at life through skepticism are pushed out.
Light overtakes and encroaches on the darkness. The light is also not to be put under a bushel and hidden, but as it is allowed to burn, it gives light unto all that are in the house (Matthew 5:15). His light cannot be extinguished, pushed out or quenched no matter how hard darkness tries.
As things get darker, it is easy to look around at everything going on and focus on the darkness and let it create anxiousness. I recently had a vision of a shofar that was blowing in every direction at once, sending out a warning of the ensuing darkness. At the same time, in this vision, Christ was coming right behind it bringing the Light. It was ushering in the sound of His return. The best is yet to come.
The darkness we can see coming at us in multiple directions. Every direction that we look there are natural disasters, rioting, wars, threats of wars, and other natural signs that His return is coming soon. But the darkness cannot put out the light.
When it is light out, there is no need for candles and they can only be dimly seen if one looks closely. But when the lights are shut off for the night, we are all grateful for the candles shining brightly. They are no longer dim but pave the way through the darkness.
In the same way, the Church is meant to pave the way through the darkness. It is a refuge and shelter that brings justice. It is a refuge from the storm and place of protection for those who are feeling tossed around. Even more than this, its span grows farther, wider and brighter in the darkness.
The light draws people who are anxious and afraid in the dark. John 11:10 says that as a man walks in the night, he stumbles because there is no light in him (does not know Christ). The light is the warming presence of good and peace. As the world grows more and more in anxiousness, it gives us more and more opportunity to speak about the peace and hope that Christ provides.
The great harvest is about people finally coming to and seeing the light. It is in this light and by this light of the Church and His people that blind eyes are open, the deaf hear and the lame finally start to walk. The lost seeking shelter are the blind whose eyes are open as they come into these places of hope and healing that shelter them from the storm.
It pushes them right into a new life. I see this all the time where I work. People who once lived in such darkness and brokenness come into the program, sometimes with a lot of pressing from family, and are pushed into the Light and find a new way has opened before them. They begin to be immersed in it and start to see differently. It is not in judgement or coercion, but in justice – refuge from the storm, a place of protection, and grace that their eyes are opened.
The church flourishes and grows in the darkness and pushes it back. Light does not leave room for darkness. And as the light multiplies, the darkness is just pushed further and further back. The light, lights up the way for the coming King. Can you see it? Like a landing pad that says, “The Spirit and the Bride say come.”
Daniel saw well ahead to this time and said that while the enemy would try to corrupt and win over those whose faith is superficial, those who know their God will stay firmly rooted. They will stand on the Rock, be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). They are not meant to stand by and just be saved, but walk in the power of God and set others free. Being around them puts things in order, brings His peace, healing, deliverance and hope.
The wise, while they may stumble and be plundered for a time, do not lose their footing. They will shine light the brightness of the heavens as they step out and are shelter for others. And those who lead many to righteousness, will shine like the stars forever and ever.
Lord, we long to be a shelter to others. Make us a safe place of refuge where people who are anxious, afraid or feeling hopeless can find shelter. Let us be a part of your great end time harvest and shine brightly hope into ever place we plant our feet.
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