Shelter in Place is Not Enough!

The United Staes of America in most states as well as other parts of the world are in a "Shelter-in-Place" status. Due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, the safest place to abide is said to be in your own home, with your own family. Going to visit and hang out, even in other homes is not said to be safe. Considering how this disease is spread, it seems to be logical. The first Passover is  evidence from scripture that God will call us away from the plagues of the world, into our own homes to find safety. However, is that enough? Can brick and mortar keep us from harm?

Proverbs 18:10 tells us: 

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].(AMP) 

If we really want to be safe, we need to run straight into the Name of the Lord. Only in Him, in His loving care, can we find the security of His protection. To me that is saying that as we are at home, "sheltering in place", we need to see that we spend time looking for and seeking God more than our usual. If in fact we are being called aside as Isaiah 26;20 says:

Come, my people, enter your chambers
And shut your doors behind you;
Hide for a little while
Until the [Lord’s] wrath is past. (AMP)

Then we should also obey the first words of the next line:

Listen carefully, (Isaiah 26;21 (AMP)

In order to really hear we will have to do more than secure our shelter, we have to secure our heart:

"Even now," says the Lord,
"Turn and come to Me with all your heart [in genuine repentance],
With fasting and weeping and mourning [until every barrier is removed and the broken fellowship is restored];
¹³
Rip your heart to pieces [in sorrow and contrition] and not your garments."
Now return [in repentance] to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness [faithful to His covenant with His people];
And He relents [His sentence of] evil [when His people genuinely repent]. Joel 2:12-13 (AMP)

Maria