The Sunday Sermonette – Are You Safe?

Do you have a favorite chair? My mother did. It was more than a piece of furniture; it was her sanctuary. It sat by the window for years, its sturdy arms enveloping her in a cocoon of peace and security. That chair, her confidant and companion in the later stages of life, remained steadfast as they navigated the slow passage of time.

In her later years, my mother rarely ventured beyond the house, except for her medical appointments and church. For hours, she and her old friend would sway back and forth, observing their small world of birds, trees, and children at play, as well as the rainy days and scorching afternoons that passed by.

Coming home one afternoon just before I retired, I asked Mom why she had stopped going places with her dear friends and why she always chose to remain at home. She paused, ceased rocking, looked at me with sweet, loving blue eyes, and said, “Because I feel safe in this old chair. Safe in our little house.”

Feeling safe calms our fears. To maintain a feeling of safety, our family and friends may suggest doing things we love, like peaceful morning walks, going to the gym, painting, listening to uplifting music, baking a cake, or going fishing. Soul-searching conversations during lunch in a favorite restaurant or café with a dear friend are comforting as well.

These friendly suggestions are good, that is true, but the Good Book tells us to trust God with our doubts and fears. My mother felt safe sitting in her favorite chair, secure in its strong, oak arms. She told me that she felt God’s loving arms, too. We can face our fears and feel safe by doing the same thing: resting in the arms of God.

When we do, we’ll feel a sense of peace, trusting in His protection. As the years rush by, please remember the strains of this old hymn. “There’ll be peace in the valley for me someday, there’ll be peace in the valley for me. I pray no more sorrow and sadness, or trouble will be; there’ll be peace in the valley for me.”

Please don’t let your doubts and fears overwhelm you. Talk to God. Talk to Jesus. They are a prayer away.

Ponder this and go forth.

(Originally posted June 23, 2024)