Our home becomes an idol

The beginning of Psalm 31 reads “In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge” and the psalmist goes on to speak of God as “a castle to keep me safe” and “my crag and my stronghold”. The words “refuge”, “stronghold”, “strong tower”, occur at various places in the psalms, giving expression to a particular way of imaging what faith is all about.

The hailstorm and flood this past July affected many folk in this city and a number in this congregation. We ourselves came home early from holidays to get to work on the mess it left behind at our house (although the clean-up via the ministrations of generous friends and neighbours was already underway). After a couple of days living in the chaos and upheaval, with books stacked in the dining room and girls sleeping on the dining room floor, dining room furniture in bedrooms, and trips to the garage to find things that would normally be handy, I began to realize that I was feeling “disturbed”. It wasn’t just a house that had been disrupted, but my “refuge”, “castle”, and “stronghold” had been shaken. Chaos had invaded and thrown off my sense of stability and security. At one particular moment I suddenly realized that, without being conscious of it, I had come to depend on the orderliness and stability of our house to provide a sense of security and stability. Our home had become something of an idol for me.

In our baptismal liturgy, those about to be baptized are asked “Do you put your whole trust in his (Jesus Christ’s) grace and love.” The answer is, of course, “I do.” Do I? Do we? They are easy words to say, but the reality of living it is something which, on most days in our lives, we are unlikely to be challenged with. The security and comfort of our routines and normal, habitual daily lives provide a safe zone in which we can live without being challenged by the question “Where do you put your trust?” In a very real sense, our little flood has been a great blessing. It has made me realize what, or, more accurately, Who is my true Refuge, Stronghold and Castle.

Once again we come to that time of year in which choices are presented and decisions made about how we will spend our time and energies in the coming year. The choices of work, leisure, learning and recreation present themselves for our judgement. It is a particularly good time to step back and ask ourselves again; “What is the foundation of my life? Where does my stability and security lie?” “Will you put your whole trust in his grace and love?”

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea; Though its waters rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its tumult. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” (Psalm 46:1-4)