A Place of Refuge
“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest. ”
Back in the 1970’s, it was almost fashionable to believe the world was about to end. Like many people in their church, my parents were convinced that these were the “end times”. Having grown up during the Depression, worked and fought in WWII, experienced many personal life stresses and then raised eight kids during the social and civil unrest of the 1960’s, imminent Armageddon seemed reasonable to them. It might have even seemed like a relief! One year for Christmas, my parents gave each of us kids a paperback copy of a Christian prepper book about how to be ready when civil society collapsed. With great sincerity, they told us it was the most valuable present they could give us. Being seventeen, I was justifiably disappointed and never read mine. My parents did more than read. They acted on it.
Mom and Dad moved away from the sophisticated New York City suburb we’d all grown up in. To the collective surprise of all who knew them, they built an earth sheltered home in rural Georgia. Nestled in the side of a small hill, most of the house was underground but the front of the house relieved the gloom with sunny windows which overlooked woods and a creek. The insulation of dirt and grass on top of the house kept it warmish in winter and we could pretend it was cool in summer. Highly energy efficient, dad claimed it could double as a fallout shelter. They built it as a place to hunker down for the long haul. Over time, their house did become a refuge --just not in the way they expected.
Suddenly transported to the country, my parents learned new hobbies and spent time outside. They planted a garden and harvested delicious vegetables. The fresh air and exercise revived my father’s health. Instead of fighting off starving neighbors coming to steal their stored food after a nuclear holocaust, Dad menaced beavers who munched on the bark of his apple trees. Lovely acres of woods, fields, and a stream provided a play area for grandchildren. Their home’s open floorplan supplied plenty of room for our family to gather for holidays. My son and I lived there for a few years before moving to Atlanta, but we frequently drove up for weekend get aways. The earth sheltered home became more home, less bunker. Eventually, my older sister started cooking the beans and dried up cheese packs which were meant to last for twenty years. Reluctantly, my parents ate them, knowing they weren’t going to be needed for surviving a nuclear winter but still feeling that just maybe the crisis was still coming.
The end of the world didn’t come, but that underlying feeling of “how long can things continue in this way?” is prevalent for many of us who are not the bunker builder type. Life feels so stressful both personally and culturally. Technological advances move quickly, bringing science fiction to life. Societal norms and expectations change rapidly, resulting in contentious arguments and confusion. “Unprecedented” events such as fires and flooding just devasted parts of Australia. The swarm of locusts in Africa was a horror, but not nearly as frightening as the virus plaguing China, Korea, Europe and now spreading among the rest of us. On edge, I check the stats on Covid-19 every day, watching the graphs curve up and seeing dreadful footage of people in masks with fear in their eyes. I resisted the urge to purchase large quantities of dried beans and cheese, but I did pick up basic household supplies ahead of time. I refuse to live in a state of fear, but I’m realistic enough to be sensibly prepared and to wash my hands more. OK, I did get some dried beans, but it’s Lent and that’s my excuse.
I can somewhat emotionally separate myself from world crises that are not directly affecting me for now, but personal stress can feel like the end of my world. When I recently complained of my current burdens, my friend said consolingly, “You can rebuild”. How many times can I rebuild, I asked? How many times can I move past personal wreckage and into calm still peace? Our family had to heal and rebuild after the death of our daughter. That was agonizing, but life stresses continue. There isn’t a quota for these things.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
When I watch less news, like many of us do during Lent, the real world surrounding me is not so fearful. I live in a clean modern house with undreamt of comfort and luxury such as a robot vacuum cleaner, air conditioning, and a steady supply of clean water. My great grandmother might be rightly annoyed at the fear I’m shrugging off because things were so tough for her generation. We don’t know what next week will look like with COVID-19 spreading and society being disrupted, but we do know Who is with us.
“Oh Lord of hosts be with us for we have none other Hope…”
I know from the other tough times of my own life that even when a crisis comes, it’s ultimately Ok. We all know this. Our security is in Christ, because nothing else lasts. We can recover, retrench, and rebound as many times as we need to, because it is not up to our strength. We choose to persevere, and by some miracle God steps in and carries us. It might feel like He’s dragging us sometimes, but He gets us out of the quicksand and into His safety. His safety might look dangerous, but we know that He and his heavenly hosts are with us even in death, so we have nothing to really fear.
My parents built a bunker, but that was not where they found their deepest security. They greeted each morning with prayer and scripture reading, constantly renewing their trust that Christ was their Savior in all things. The bunker was just them being practical. Their ultimate faith and trust in God allowed them to transcend apocalyptic fears. That faith is why their “bunker” became a homey place where we baked molasses cookies and played card games while grandchildren got muddy playing in the fields. My parents continued to believe that the end was near, but it might have been hard to muster up a feeling of approaching doom while little boys constructed forts, the cat snoozed in the sun, and nature’s beauty surrounded them.
Don’t let scary news headlines or your own personal stress ruin today. Our faith is about hope not fear. I can’t prevent the virus from coming to my community because it’s already here, but I can stay calm, be kind, and choose trust. Look at Christ for hope and focus on the good in front of you. There is always something good right in front of us. We can’t control the times in which we live, but we can control how the times affect us and how we affect others. Lent is a beautiful time to reflect on God’s word, His mercy, and our need for Him. In uncertain times like these, we remember our Savior and He is near us. We know how this story ends and it’s actually very simple: God wins.
“….Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
“Lord, our God, You have given Your peace to mankind; and the gift of the All-Holy Spirit You have sent to Your disciples and apostles, Opening their lips with fiery tongues by Your power. Open also the lips of us sinners and teach us how and for what we should pray. Lord, govern our life for You are the calm harbor for those who are storm-tossed. And make known to us the way we should go. Renew a right spirit within us, and establish our spiritual instability with Your governing Spirit. Each day, may we be guided brightly by Your Good Spirit toward what is beneficial for us, being empowered to observe Your Commandments, which lead us to seek the salvation accomplished by You for mankind. And not to be deceived by the corrupting pleasures of this world. Strengthen us, Lord, to desire rather the delight of future blessings, for You are truly Blessed and praised among your Saints and unto the ages of ages. Amen. ”
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
