## 34:8
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> Taste and See the Lord Is Good
>> Oh taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Occasion: When I reach for the wrong refuge

Lord, there are many places I could run.
A screen.
A bottle.
Busyness.
Another person to decide for me.

Before I reach for the first thing,
slow my hand.
Let me see what I'm truly asking.

Sometimes I do not want refuge ---
I want escape.
I want the ache quieted,
the uncertainty gone,
the waiting taken out of my hands.
I want something immediate,
even if it can't work for long.

I know why the wrong refuge looks good:
It answers right away.
It asks little.
It lets me stay numb.
And sometimes, Lord,
numbness feels easier than trust.

Turn me toward what is solid.
Toward prayer, not panic.
Toward honest work.
Toward people who will not feed my fear.

Give me enough courage for this moment:
to pause,
to tell You the truth,
and to wait before I choose.

There are many places I could run.
Let me run to You first.

Amen.