Dwell in safety

"Don't make eye-contact with anyone. Keep your head down."

"Get your phone out and pretend you're talking to your (fictitious) boyfriend about how you'll be home in 10 minutes."

"But seriously Cat, don't walk home by yourself."

That's what they said, and I agreed. But my bike wheels have just been stolen. It's 2am and there are no night buses for another hour. So I set along a dingily lit French street with my hands in my pockets. It's ok at first, but soon enough I have to channel all of my energies into trying to keep my chest from pounding. There are prostitutes standing on the road, talking to each other. There are men loitering on street corners, men who seem to think that I'll be gratified by their crude assessments of me as I walk by. The odd car drives past, with windows down, blaring music and carrying passengers who also think that yelling at a girl they don't know is a good form of entertainment.

My experience of fear is that it's an all or nothing thing. Suddenly something shifts and I have no interest in trying to look like I'm not afraid anymore. Keys clutched in one hand I pelt my way home, struggling to unlock the door because my hands are shaking so much. 

‘My name from the palms of His hands eternity will not erase;

Impressed on His heart it remains, in marks of indelible grace.

Yes I to the end will endure, as sure as the earnest is given, 

More happy but not more secure, the glorified spirits in heaven’ 

                                                                                  (August Toplady, 1771)

The security we have in God does not preclude our worst nightmares, or our imagined worst case scenarios from happening to us.

That's how secure it is.

That is the testimony of the saints across the ages – from Paul 'despairing even of life' to the early Christians who wandered around in 'sheepskins and goatskins', from Cowper, confined to a lunatic asylum, to Helen Roseveare being raped by rebels in the Congo… the abundant life with have in Jesus is experienced most strongly when it is life IN the presence of death, peace IN trouble, contentment IN hardship, safety IN persecution, soul-satisfaction IN famine, clothing IN nakedness, defense IN danger....WHILE being sawn in two.

You can never be more safe, or more secure than you are now because God loves you.

Man-made security systems are on stand-by till the moment the enemy or intruder attacks, and then they come into play. God's isn't. You are safe. Actively. Always....because you are in Christ. God’s provision of security is so comprehensive that it survives the worst apparent ‘ intrusions’ redeeming them, turning them for good. 

You could never be more safe.

You could never be more loved.

In the words of John Chrysostom (c.347 - 407) to the Empress Eudoxia:

“You cannot banish me, for this world is my Father’s house.”

“But I will kill you,” said the empress.
“No, you cannot, for my life is hid with Christ in God,” said John.
“I will take away your treasures.”
“No, you cannot, for my treasure is in heaven and my heart is there.”
“But I will drive you away from your friends and you will have no one left.”
“No, you cannot, for I have a Friend in heaven from whom you cannot separate me.
I defy you, for there is nothing you can do to harm me.”

'The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life.' 
                                                                                                       Psalm 121:7