We all have fears; they can take many different forms but we all have them. They can range in intensity from a mild phobia right up to a paralysing dread, and can be as simple as handling a spider or as complex as facing death.

In the Bible, (Isaiah 8: 13-14), the writer talks about fearing God. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary.

In context, when we look around us we see, for example, the terrors on the news, and atrocities happening throughout the world.

Our daily lives can also have many troubles of their own. Scripture says we are not to fear these things but rather to look to God, fear his authority, and then he will be our sanctuary.

The word sanctuary can mean various things to each of us. For some it is a place of safe keeping, a holy consecrated ground; for others it is a place of spiritual enlightenment, a place we go to for spiritual exercise or rest.

Perhaps you may consider what a sanctuary means to you. For me, the meaning, in the context of this passage, is an invitation to experience the immeasurable power of Jesus Christ, who is able to keep you in his sanctuary, the place of rest, peace and spiritual safety.

A reverential fear of God allows us to start to know his peace and protection. Why look elsewhere?

Rachael Davison

Windermere Community Church

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CHRISTIAN VIEWPOINT: What does sanctuary mean to you?