Fly Away

Fly Away

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55:22 NIV

How stressful has your life been lately? I’m sure some of it is just normal day-to-day stuff. Deadlines to meet. Relationships to navigate. Financial issues to figure out. On some days, all those things might seem to converge at once. And when that happens, who doesn’t want to run away? I think that’s why Psalm 55 caught my eye the other day: ““Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm” (Psalm 55:6-8).

Yes, sometimes I wish I had the wings of a dove and could fly away, put my feet up, and not have to answer any phones, texts, or emails. I wouldn’t flee to the desert though. I’d prefer a nice five-star resort where I could lay by the pool as people bring me tall glasses of sweet tea and food and cool towels. But I guess the psalmist didn’t know about that option, so he chose a desert instead.

Tomato, to-mah-to.

But even though the psalmist and I disagree about where we’d like to flee, Psalm 55 shows that stress and turmoil leave us feeling the same today as they did thousands of years ago. We’ve all had times when our hearts have been broken, our troubles seem never-ending, and even people we thought were our friends have turned on us. Even the good things in our lives can sometimes add to our stress levels. We worry about our kids, our marriages, our jobs, and our world. It can all begin to feel like too much.

And those are the times we need to take deep breaths and remember that when it all starts to feel like it’s coming undone, we have a safe place to turn. As it says in Psalm 55:8: “I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”

My friend, never forget that God is your shelter and your strength. Our world may feel scary and fragile, but He promises that the righteous will never be shaken. If you keep your eyes on Him, if you trust Him in all your ways, He’ll give you the strength you need to get through whatever life throws your way.

If you have Jesus living in your heart, God can be your strength and your sustenance. He never meant for you to handle all of life’s problems on your own. And maybe that’s better than a five-star resort and a lounge chair by the pool!

Thank you for reading Pastor Dale’s Mid-Week Encouragement. It’s not copyrighted so feel free to share it with someone who needs encouragement today. And, if you’re a regular attender of the Mt. Laurel Church of God or regularly watch the live feed (available on YouTube for the next few weeks), consider reading Matthew 13:1-23 to get ready to worship this coming Sunday, July 12 as Pastor Dale shares some good news from God’s Word for you.

Called to know the Way, go the Way, and show you the Way,

^{Pastor Dale}

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife are honored to serve the Mt. Laurel Church of God. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else. Feel free to share this message with anyone you choose. And if you'd like to receive PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send an email to (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.