Shelter From The Fire

Have you ever just sat, speechless, in peace, staring out the window?!  I am doing that right now, and it is an absolutely amazing feeling. I am looking at the beautiful 15 ft tall pine trees in our back yard, covered in snow.  Underneath the pine trees are a family of rabbits. They peek their heads out from time to time, and wander around the yard, but mostly stay hidden under it's cozy refuge.  My husband likes to let our two Retrievers (a Golden and Labrador) out to chase the rabbits, and it drives me nuts, as all I can think about is the cute little bunnies getting terrorized by the dogs.  However it IS clear that those rabbits are far more agile than the canines.  The keen sense that has been placed within the rabbits by their Creator show forth quite well when you compare them to the goofy dogs who like to toy with them.  What stands out to me is the shelter the trees provide for the rabbits. 

My husband and I recently went through a very hard situation which rocked our world, and the outcome could have been devastating, yet God sent the right people at the right time to bring ministry and healing right when we needed it.  My Mom is and always has been a prayer warrior, and she has some powerful intercessors who back her in prayer and share things with her as God tells them.  One of her intercessor friends called and told her that God was telling us (Hugh and I) that we would be "walking through the fire (trials in life), but not be burned."  Then another friend who was praying, completely unrelated and not in the same conversation prayed the same prayer over us!  WOW, confirmation and encouragement, which built our faith and allowed us to see God's hands and love extended to us through complete strangers.  People, who I am sure have other issues to deal with in their lives, and more important trials of their own to contend with, stopped what they were doing, listened to their Creator, and let us know that they were praying. We had many others friends lifting us up in prayer as well, and I am always humbled and blessed when people take time out to do this on our behalf. 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."
Isaiah 43:2

Sure we were scared and nervous, feeling the intensity of the trial . . . but when we heard those words of encouragement and rested in God's Word over our lives, for such a time as this . . . we found great refuge.  And . . . guess what??  The situation ended up working out, and any harm that others meant for us was thwarted, so . . .  just as the bunnies in our back yard take shelter under the snow-covered pine trees, we will take shelter and rest in God, who cares for our every need. Though people and situations may try to toy with us, I am basking in His peace and stand in awe of his mighty protection over our lives!