He is my stronghold and my refuge!

Psalm 37:39-40 ESV
[39]  The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. [40] The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.37.39-40.ESV

Psalm 3:8 ESV
[8]  Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.3.8.ESV

Psalm 9:9-10 ESV
[9] The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. [10] And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.9.9-10.ESV

I’ve been watching a new show on TV, Survival Mode in NBC. It’s very similar to dateline, except instead of featuring high profile murders, they focus on people who have survived incredible disasters; wildfires,  hurricanes, tropical storms and other major natural disasters. I love hearing the stories of the human will to survive and how incredible courage and fortitude takes over in the midst of great fear and tremendous odds.

A common testimony from all of the episodes I’ve seen so far is, people literally reaching the end of themselves. Here they are facing catastrophic events, like the wildfires and tropical storms in Maui, and the wildfires and mud slides in California.  In the midst of such devastating weather, death, and the loss of homes, businesses and entire towns/cities, heroes have emerged when ordinary people just prayed to God for His help.

God not only saved the ones crying out, but used them to save many more. This is how our God works, through ordinary people, who go in to do extraordinary things, like rescue dozens of others, selflessly, while trying to save themselves and their families.

We don’t all go through events like this, but many of us do. Sometimes the every day, ordinary events of life can seem like a tsunami or hurricane in our lives. Many seemingly smaller events like death in the family, the loss of a job and income, etc can combine to make it seem like God is against us, or he just isn’t paying attention. But when we look to Him in the midst of our own storms and tempests, He is there.

There aren’t many people who won’t call out to God, when they have reached the end of themselves and there’s literally nowhere else to turn. It is times like this when we see God coming in the clouds, in the midst of our own personal disasters. He truly is our stronghold and refuge; a very present help in the midst of danger and seemingly impossible odds!

Who are “the righteous?”

Those who seek Him, who search for Him with all of their heart. To rescue them from the enemy of their soul, even from themselves.