Where May We Lay Our Young?

wheremaywelayouryoung 

How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
The bird also has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You.  Psalm 84:1-4, New American Standard Bible

These aren’t easy days to be a parent.

One only has to switch on the news, pick up a newspaper, or read the Facebook feed to get the message: our world isn’t a safe place to be.

Jesus is King. But He has not yet taken his seat on the throne of this world’s stage and enforced His absolute and total authority.  This is yet the broken place, where wars and rumors of wars set brother against brother and nation against nation, where mamas grieve and fathers wring their hands and children are sometimes caught in the crossfire across borders and across dinner tables.

This is the broken place, and the jagged edges can run hearts right through.

Hearts created for beauty don’t do well when they find themselves stranded in a war zone.  And yet since the time of the serpent’s deception and the man and woman’s fall, that’s exactly where we all find ourselves.

The battle takes its toll on the streets and the courtyards, in the churches and schools, and sometimes—too often—it comes right into our own living rooms.  Our children, too, are targets of the enemy, and sometimes they are wounded.  I’ve tossed and turned long nights through, crying out for the Deliverer to rescue a hurting one, to bring back a straying one, to heal a sick one.  After one such night recently, I finally gave up, got up, and came downstairs for a hot cup of coffee. As I lit a candle and picked up my Bible, I saw this passage on my list of assigned reading for that week’s class. These words rang especially deep, the light of the lone candle flickering over their message…

The bird also has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.

The bird has found a house, the swallow a nest for herself.  That’s you and me, friend!  Jesus said not a sparrow falls to the ground without His Father’s notice, and after revealing the remarkable fact that He has numbered each hair on our heads, goes on to give this command as recorded in Matthew 10:31: “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

The Word tells us we have found a house: a nest, as it were.  Joyous news, indeed! But it gets better, because this house is not just for us.  It is a nest “where we may lay our young.”  And where is that place the swallow has found?  The very altars of the Lord.

Mothers and fathers, do not fear.  You? You are worth more than many sparrows. Your children? The very hairs on their heads have been numbered.  And you may lay them down safely at the altar of God.

Have you, like me, sometimes lived in fear for yourself and your children? How can you lay your own loved ones at the altars of God, today?

Blessed are those who dwell in His house; they are ever praising Him.

Blessings,

Misty Krasawski

mamaaboutMisty Krasawski is hopelessly flawed but eternally optimistic because God has promised to be the author and finisher of her faith. She is mama to eight precious children and one beautiful daughter in law, and spends all her free time trying to avoid the laundry by reading classic books, painting watercolors, lighting too many candles, baking copious amounts of cookies, and studying as much theology as she can lay her hands on. She’s currently pursuing a degree through Colorado Christian University and blogs at www.mistykrasawski.com. She loves encouraging people to chase the dreams God has placed in their hearts, preferably over steaming cups of tea and coffee and probably something chocolate.

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5 Comments

  1. Yes. This post is fantastic. It speaks to a place I’ve been working through recently. I love your thoughts on the matter, and it’s encouraging to hear that I’m not the only one. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Thanks so much, Aubrey; I’m glad it spoke to you! I’m so very grateful for God’s always-on protection of our children and our safety when we come close to Him. Blessings!

  3. I am very pleased to know Misty personally. She has been a student in two of my classes at Colorado Christian University; therefore, I can testify firsthand to the wonderful student of Scripture that she is and of her deep love for the Lord and her commitment to his kingdom purposes. Her thoughts here on Psalm 84 are truly inspirational to me as a fellow believer, a parent, and grandparent. Thanks, Misty!

    1. Professor Cole, what kind things to say! I appreciate all I’ve learned from you as a conscientious teacher, always centering everything we’ve studied around the person of Jesus. Thank you so much, again, and I pray you have a wonderful Christmas season!

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