He Goes Before

"We can be sure that anything that touches us has been allowed by our Shepherd.  He is our refuge today!" 

The above quote came from my teacher's guide for my 3-4 year old Sunday School class.  Last week in my daily Bible reading, down to my Sunday School lesson preparation, God had a theme: "I am your refuge."

"But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble." Psalm 59:16

"For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." Psalm 61:3 

"He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah." Psalm 62:6-8

I did not think anything of this theme - until after I needed it.  But God went before, preparing me through His Word for what lay ahead.

Last Friday when I came home from work (a little later than usual because of some errands I had to run - but even then, God was in it) I was met by the sight of an ambulance and several other vehicles in my driveway.  Well, from that part of my driveway until my house comes completely back in sight is a long way when you don't know what's going on.  All kinds of thoughts started running through my head.  Was something wrong with somebody?  Did something happen to the house?

I was met by my niece and brother.  Asking them what was going on, I was told, "The RV caught on fire."
My first thought was one of relief - relief that it was only the RV, and not something worse, like something wrong with a person.

Later I began to get bits and pieces of what had happened.  The refrigerator in the RV had an electrical short, causing the fire.  The damage was pretty bad, rendering the RV unusable.

But despite that, I have a God Who goes before.  He knows what lies ahead even when I don't.