What Brings You Comfort?

Have you ever been in a cave? We went to the Shasta Caverns several years ago as a family.  It was quite an experience, but yet a little scary.  It's a little scary when you have the tendency to be claustrophobic.  I've toured inside of a mine shaft as well.  The deeper inside the shaft the darker it gets and the light from outside dims and seems farther and farther away.
Have you ever felt as if you're inside an emotional dark cave?  You see the light.  You know the path that leads to the light but no matter what you do, you can't seem to make any progress to the light?  You're in emotional despair.  If one more thing were to happen your cup would runneth over. 
It was one of those days and it felt like I was in an emotional dark cave.  So much was being thrown at me and I had decisions to make that weighed my heart and soul.  Some of the decisions were being made for me but not necessarily the ones that I would of chosen or selected for my life.  You know the truth and you seek the truth but its not giving you the answer YOU want.  In this emotional state I actually told someone, "I wish God would speak to me.  I wish the sky would open up and He would speak to me and tell me what to do."
Hours later at home when I was beginning to get ready for bed I glanced over at my nightstand and started looking at the stack of books that I have there.  I have several stacks.  Each stack has a different level of reading priority.  As I glanced over the books (I read 3-4 books at one time...I am a glutton for punishment) they just didn't seem to fit where I was.  I knew I had to study for that week's Bible study but I was in my cave.  I saw Elyse Fitzpatrick's book, "Steadfast Love" in one of my stacks.  I didn't really know what it was about but I grabbed it only because nothing else in my current reading stack seemed to fit the emotional dark cave I was in.  As I opened the pages and began to read, His grace became so apparent to me.  The words coming off the page were as if I was the one writing them.

Psalm 57

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

till the storms of destruction pass by.

I cry out to God Most High,

to God who fulfills His purpose for me.

He will send from heaven and save me;

he will put to shame him who tramples on me.

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

My soul is in the midst of lions;

I lie down amid fiery beasts-

the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp words.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth!

They set a net for my steps;

my soul was bowed down.

They dug a pit in my way,

but they have fallen into it themselves.

My heart is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody!

Awake, my glory!

Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn!

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth!

David wrote this Psalm Elyse's describes, as 'he was running for his life,

hiding in a wilderness, in a cave.'

His grace came pouring out of the pages and onto my soul.  It was as if this book was written for me and only me.  As I put down the book and opened up my Bible study book, in the opening page was

 Psalm 57:2, "I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me." 

The sky opened up and the light shined right on my me and He spoke to me. I asked for Him to speak and He did, right from His Word.   He knew exactly how to comfort me in the midst of my storm and pour out His grace.  He is in the boat with me in the midst of the storm (Mark 4:35-41).

Elyse takes us to the Heidelberg Catechism -

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?


Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, (a) am not my own, (b) but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; (c) who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, (d) and delivered me from all the power of the devil; (e) and so preserves me (f) that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; (g) yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, (h) and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, (i) and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. (j)

This is what gives me comfort. This is what sheds light and grace on my soul.
 What brings you comfort?