Don't let God step in your mess

Mark out an area outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourselves. Along with your weapons have a stick with you. After you relieve yourself, dig a hole with the stick and cover your excrement. God, your God, strolls through your camp; he's present to deliver you and give you victory over your enemies. Keep your camp holy; don't permit anything indecent or offensive in God's eyes.- Deuteronomy 23:12-14 (The Message)

At first, this passage seems kind of silly. Cover up your mess so God doesn't step in it. But this idea that God is "present to deliver you and give you victory over your enemies" is the priceless part for me. So many times, I miss the idea that our God is a God of refuge. For me, when I'm in trouble, I usually look for God to come and rescue me. I completely miss the fact that he is always here with me, strolling through my camp, and available to provide refuge.

It's easy for us to pray to be delivered from a situation. It's much tougher to pray that God would walk with us through it and make us stronger through it. The idea that he is always here, strolling through our camp, gives us hope. So maybe, when we're in the heat of battle- dealing with sin, with addiction, with relationship hassles, with money problems - we need to stop looking for a way out. Instead, maybe we should look around for God to walk through it with us.

Peace