A “safe place” has been defined as “a place that provides a physically and emotionally safe environment for a person or group of people, especially a place where people can freely express themselves without fear of prejudice, negative judgment, etc.”. The communities we all live in have been challenged to meet the demands of strong cultural influences that in themselves have created the need for more diverse safe spaces.
As I read through scripture, I am reminded in various ways that “safe places” are not a new thing, especially if you read through the book of Psalms. Often described as a place of refuge or hiding place, the writers describe more than just a physical space, they were pointing to their relationship with God as their place of refuge.
Psalm 46:1-3 says that “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” Psalm 91:2 describes God as “My refuge and strength” while Psalm 46:1 echo’s these words. Psalm 32:7 says, “You are my hiding place”.
Scripture also draws for us some thought-provoking word pictures that describe God as a place of refuge. He is called a “Fortress” (Ps 46:7); A rock, a fortress, and a deliverer. (2 Sa 22:2-3); A shelter or shade (Ps 91:1); Sheltering wings (Ps 57:1); A shield (Ge 15:1), and a tower (Pr. 18:10). All these word pictures share in the meaning of how God is our place of refuge, a safe place to abide in.
As a follower of Christ, where is your place of refuge? What do you do or where do you go to feel safe? Where can you go to freely express yourself as a child of God?
I have had the privilege of being raised in the church since the day I was born. Over the many years of life that I have lived the church has been a safe place for me. Within the “four walls” of the church is a place where I can freely express myself without fear of prejudice and negative judgement.
In addition to the definition already given here, a place of refuge can also be described as a “stronghold from which to launch a counterattack”. While this may sound a little extreme, I do believe that this is true. A church committed to extending the mission of Christ becomes the training grounds or center for equipping people to live out their faith in a world resistant to knowing and accepting the good news of the gospel.
Christ is the head of the church. Colossians chapter 1:15-18 states “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation… He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”
Knowing that Christ is the head of the church, we can take refuge in him. He becomes the rock our salvation is built on, he is the shelter, the shade where we can find rest, he becomes our shield of defense, a fortress where we can find safety and peace from the trails and temptations of the world constantly places in front of us. This has been my experience with the church, I know that this is not everyone’s experience. There are those who have been hurt by others in the church, it is my hope and prayer that these hurts/hearts can be healed, and the church can be the safe place it was designed to be.
There are some big things that some in small packages. It could be an engagement ring in a small black box that initiates a new commitment for a lifetime of love and learning, maybe it is the moment the relator hands over the keys to your new house or it is the birth of your first, second or third child. Each one of these things may seem to be small but each carry a huge amount of care and responsibility in our lives. The physical and emotional nature of rings, keys and the gift of children make a large impact in our lives, but so can the words we say or read.
I recently visited a local Starbucks establishment to talk with a friend, as I waited around for my drink order this advertisement caught my attention. “It’s easy to get lost in the moment over a robust cup of your favorite dark-roasted coffee. Fuller-bodied and bold, these coffees feature robust flavors and a lush mouthfeel. Each cup is full of enough body and intrigue to entrance the senses until the last drop.” This well written script makes a good attempt at “selling” me the experience of a great cup of coffee, the play to our senses and the use of powerful descriptive words is very effective.
Have you ever been to a sporting event and had a view from the “cheap seats” (aka the “nose bleeds”). These particular seats offer up some disadvantages as well as some advantages depending on your perspective. The view from the top tier of seats gives you the “big picture” experience. You can see the game being played, you can “feel” the energy of the crowd as they cheer on their team or yell at the referee; yet at the same time you miss the impact of the hard hitting body checks or skillfully placed shot on goal.
The most impersonated person in the world is, of course, Elvis Presley. There are currently more than 400,000 professional Elvis impersonators in the world. Interestingly, at the time of his death in 1977 there were only 170. As of 2010, Christianity was by far the world’s largest religion, with an estimated 2.2 billion adherents, nearly a third (31 percent) of all 6.9 billion people on Earth,”*
One of the first words that comes from the mouths of babes can be singled out as one of the most powerful two letter words in the English language. It translates easily from one language to another, it is a word that is recognized across most every culture and anyone can use a simple hand gesture to get its message across. Printed on a ballot, this word has the ability change the most powerful leadership regime, this seemingly small word has the potential to change the direction of one’s life.
steveworkingthroughtheword.com 