Safe in the Shelter - Martin Wiles

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 NLT

The shelter was only a few hundred feet away, but at the moment, it may as well have been a mile.

I had grown accustomed to storms while hiking in the mountains. Which is why I started early in the morning so I could finish before late afternoon, when storms were known to arrive. 

On this particular day, my brother, daughter, and I were on the Appalachian Trail in northern Georgia. We planned to arrive at our destination around noon, set up camp, and then ditch our packs before hiking for a few more miles.

We reached our destination on time, but as soon as we unloaded, thunder rolled across the mountains. We quickly set up our tents. No sooner had we driven the last stake than powerful pelting rain, sharp peels of lightning, and booming bangs of thunder slithered across the mountains. A trail shelter was only three hundred feet away, but we couldn’t reach it at the moment.

During a brief lull in the lightning and thunder, we ran for the shelter like deer from hunting dogs. Soaked to the skin, we huddled in the crude building for the next four hours, listening as one storm after another marched across the mountains.

The psalmist also discovered a shelter in the God he served—a shelter that provided rest and comfort.

The mountain storms I’ve encountered were nothing compared to some of the life storms I’ve experienced. During these times, the shelter of God’s protection often seemed close but unreachable. But it only appeared that way. 

God always has a shelter for our troubled souls. The storm may continue to rage, but we're protected from harm when we rest in God’s sheltering arms.

Just as we had to make an effort to get to the shelter, we, too, must run to the shelter God provides. Our efforts demonstrate to God that we recognize our need and love for him. And that we understand we can’t handle life on our own.

Shelters of various styles dot the length of the Appalachian Trail. God is our ultimate shelter, but he manifests himself in different ways. Sometimes, he shelters us through the presence of others.

God’s shelters are always close when the storms of life pummel. Run to him often, and find the protection and peace he offers.

Father, may I remember that you are my ultimate shelter in the storms of life.

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God’s Light - Martin Wiles

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. Ephesians 1:18 NLT

My world came crashing down, but it was too dark for me to see it.

On one of the first few camping trips my brother and I and my two children took together, we discovered the need for a good tent. I had purchased two small tents—one dome shaped and the other military style. My son and I slept in the military style.

During the night, our tent came tumbling down. I fumbled for my flashlight, and after turning on the light understood why. My son had dislodged one of the poles. Not only had the pole collapsed but the guyot line had unhooked from the stake. Luckily, I located the stake, re-attached the line, and re-erected our tent. But only because I had light.

The light Paul wanted early Christians to be flooded with didn’t come from a flashlight—or in his time an oil lamp. Rather, it would come from understanding the wonderful present and future they had because of God’s light of salvation.

When God’s light shines into our lives, it enables us to understand Him. While the process of fully understanding God is never complete—His ways and thoughts are higher than ours—knowing Him as our Lord gives a fuller understanding of who He is. He’s not just a far-off deity who really doesn’t care about our affairs. He’s a close-up friend and Savior who has our best interests at heart.

God’s light helps us comprehend His plan. He has a unique plan for each one of His followers. We don’t have to aimlessly wander around pondering what we’re supposed to do. We can know God’s desire and join Him in fleshing it out.

God’s light shining into our lives allows us to see a bright future. Life on earth can be abundant, but life in the future will be more so. Regardless of what we have or don’t have on earth, or regardless of how we’re treated, we will be loved for eternity by the one who gave His life for us.

When God’s light of understanding pours into our lives, we’ll see the matchless inheritance we’ve been given. Everything that belongs to God’s Son belongs to us. We are joint heirs with Christ.

It’s amazing what a little light can do. Make sure you are experiencing God’s light.

Father, flood my heart with light so that I might understand all You have in store for me.

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How to Deal with Life's Slow Leaks - Martin Wiles

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world. John 16:33 NLT

My wife and I had felt the feeling before—and things didn’t turn out well.

On one camping trip, our mattress died. My wife and I were tent campers. Not that we didn’t want to be camper campers, but we couldn’t afford the camper at the time. We could, however, afford an air mattress, which was better than sleeping in a sleeping bag on top of a small pad lying on the ground. I had done that before, too, but the aches and pains of aging made that impossible now—if I wanted to get off the ground the following day.

This time, we had awoken to a squishy feeling in the middle of the night. Air mattresses are known to leak a small amount, making it necessary to refill them every several days, but this was different. We had both sunk into the middle of the mattress. No holes appeared; the mattress was simply worn out from age and use.

So, we purchased a new mattress, anticipating our next camping trip as summer arrived. Since we were also in the process of moving three doors down, we figured we would give our new one a try the last two nights in our old place. We inflated the mattress, decorated it with sheets, threw in a few pillows, and settled in for a good night’s sleep—or so we thought.

Two hours into the night, we awoke to that squishy feeling again. Surely not, I thought. This was a new mattress. We got up, mashed the on button, and refilled the mattress. My wife turned off the fan, and a hissing sound broke the night’s silence. After careful inspection, we uncovered the culprit: a pinhole just next to a seam. No way to patch this—and we wouldn’t anyway since the mattress was new. A slow leak, but a slow leak that would eventually land us on the hard floor.

We retired to our recliners for the remainder of the night. The following day, we deflated the half-deflated mattress, boxed it up, and returned it for another. Even slow leaks can take the fun out of sleeping.

Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat one vital truth about life: it’s filled with trials. Sin in the world and people’s lives assures us of that. Besides, God can send trials to teach us important lessons and grow our faith. But Jesus also doesn’t leave out the good news: he has overcome the world—and its trials. If we follow him, we can too.

Sometimes, life’s trials come simultaneously, like the air that suddenly left our old mattress. When that happens, the trials take the air out of us. A tragedy occurs. A child dies. A spouse has a stroke. A pandemic hits the world. We lose a job.

But more often, the trials mimic a slow leak, like our new mattress. They mirror pin holes, which slowly cause our joy to escape. We don’t plunge full-blown into depression and discouragement, but they both creep in gradually. We don’t see them coming, but suddenly, one day, we’re in their grasp.

Life’s trials make refilling necessary. Even air mattresses with no holes need refilling if slept on for more than one day. Weight causes air to escape somewhere. The peace Jesus references comes with the refilling. 

And the refilling comes through the same spiritual disciplines God has commanded from the beginning: regular prayer (not just when we’re facing trials), Bible study, and hanging out with others who will support us and give us beneficial spiritual advice.

Joining a small group Bible study and reading good spiritual books are also good ideas.

Further, peace can come by remembering we won’t always sleep on air mattresses that need refilling. One day, after our death or the Second Coming of Christ, we will live in an eternal home where trials are absent. We will have overcome the slow leaks of life.

Don’t let the slow leaks of life’s trials steal your joy.

Father, I pray for strength so the slow leaks of life will not overcome me. 

Tweetable: How do you deal with life's slow leaks? 

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Walk-on Wednesday - Eternally Safe - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Walk-on Wednesday. By Hump Day, we are struggling, but we believe a good devotion can strengthen us to finish the week strong. 

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23:6b NJKV

Even when camping in the open country, I need security.

Security is a God-created basic human need. From the moment of birth, I felt it when my mom and dad cradled me in their arms. They continued to make me feel secure by changing my diapers, rocking me to sleep, feeding me, and giving me milk and juice to drink. They supplied all my basic needs.

As I got older and needed my parents less, I still needed security. I found it by getting a job so I could pay my living expenses. I discovered it by renting or buying a home to live in that kept me out of the elements. I felt it also by putting locks on my doors and windows to keep unwanted people out.

When my wife and I camp, many of those elements in a home that make me feel secure are missing. But I still need to feel secure. Instead of sleeping in the open under the stars, we bed down in a tent and make sure the fly is zipped tightly. This way, no snakes or other unwanted night creatures can slither in. Somehow, closing the tent makes me feel secure against bears also, even though I know that wouldn’t keep one out if he wanted to get in.

We also take along extension cords so we can plug our phones into a power source. We feel secure if we have a way to contact the outside world. We carry food and drink. Although we leave the comforts of our home, we still take the basic things that make us feel secure.

In Psalm 23, the psalmist takes us through an entire year in a sheep’s life. From the spring at the shepherd’s home to the green pastures of the high country during the summer and then back to the shepherd’s dwelling for the fall and winter. Throughout the sheep’s year-long journey, the shepherd has supplied all their needs, giving them a sense of security.

David experienced this same care from his Shepherd. Now, he wanted to dwell in His house forever. We often think about the church or heaven when reading this verse, but David had no church building to attend. He did, however, have heaven, as he understood it, to look forward to.

David boasted about his good Shepherd, and we should too. God gives us everything we need to feel secure, including salvation. He promises to meet our needs—physically, spiritually, and emotionally. And not only in this life but also in the life to come. Eternity is ours. He won’t take from us—salvation—what He has given to us. A part of that promise is a new heaven and a new earth.  

Telling others about our good Shepherd is one way we express our gratitude for His blessings. Loving God’s church is another. Christ died for the church, and our eternal security is represented by what the church is about and the message she proclaims.

When we’ve made our peace with God, we can dwell in His presence forever, which is the better meaning of what David says. While on earth, we enjoy the presence of God’s Spirit, and after death, we’ll enjoy seeing our Savior face to face.

Have you prepared to be eternally secure?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the promise we can be eternally secure in Your presence. 

Tweetable: Are you eternally safe? 

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No Leak - Martin Wiles

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me. John 10:28 NLT

For six hours, the rain pounded our tent.

My wife and I couldn’t have asked for a better four-day July camping trip. Temps hovered much lower than normal for this time of the year, and apart from a few light mountain showers passing through, we enjoyed fair weather. But things changed on the last night of our trip.

We made our way to the bathhouse and decided to check the weather while we were close to the Wi-Fi. A line of strong thunderstorms marched our way. Although it was 11:30 p.m., we decided to pack the outside stuff, leaving only what remained in our tent.

At two a.m., the rain arrived. Not much thunder and lightning, but pounding rain. Rain that still fell when we awoke at daylight the next morning. I lay, listening to the beating on the tent. If it did not stop by eight a.m., I planned to shove everything in the car, wet or not.

Yet, I was more worried about the wet on the inside of the tent than I was on the outside. Several times during the night, I shined the flashlight around the inside to make sure things were dry. No leaks. Pretty good for a moderately priced tent.

Jesus talked about another kind of leak. One His children don’t have to worry about. When in His arms, His children are safe. They won’t perish, and no one can take them away from Him.

While God is the father of all—in that He created everyone—He is not the Father of all. He is only the Father of those who choose to make a decision to follow His Son. This happens by accepting what Jesus did on Calvary’s cross. There, He made payment for our sins.

Making that decision doesn’t make me perfect, but it does make me safe. I’ll still sin … occasionally … but I won’t habitually as I did before I met Christ. He gives me power to overcome. And He always forgives when I mess up. He places no limit on His forgiveness. He simply wants me to confess and repent.

Once in His care, Christ won’t throw me away, nor can anyone steal me from Him. His love doesn’t leak. I’m safe there, as my wife and I were in our tent. Things may pound against us, but God’s love won’t let them overcome us.

If you haven’t received God’s love, do so today. Then, rest in the security found there.

Prayer: Father, thank You for holding us securely in Your loving arms.

Tweetable: Have you tapped into the source that won't leak? 

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Flashback Friday - The Power of Two - Martin Wiles

The Power of Two

The small tent can be set up by one, but it is much easier to erect with two people.

I have a one-man tent. Two people can sleep in it—and have, but I have to like the other person extremely well to invite them in. And if two use it, they must also be small in size. Since it’s a one-man tent, it stands to reason that one person should be able to assemble it. And it is possible…but aggravating. It doesn’t pop up, which means parts of it have to be held with one hand while driving the tent stakes and attached lines into the ground with the other. Not an easy task. Read more...

Tweetable: Have you discovered the power of two?

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