Crag

Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe . . . 

 - From Psalm 31

In Scripture, the safest place seems always to be off by yourself somewhere, in a cave, in a hideaway that is hard to get to, and where there are no vantage points to see you.

Even in the most ancient eras found in Scripture, a city was never a good place to hide. The city, and crowds, insist that you conform, or assimilate. In our modern age, we insist on going into the middle of a crowd, and mouth off the most absurd things, present ourselves in a way that demands people notice, and dare anyone to do anything about it. I do not believe the sincere opinions are accurately reflected in most polling done today.

The only place to be yourself, really be yourself, is by yourself. The closer one gets to God, the fewer others there are, and the safer one gets. God gets us far off from the madness of crowds, where we can hear, and see, and feel more intimately and honestly. Intimacy and honesty are the same, and the greater the intimacy, the less a reliance on sensual pleasures, or touch. Intimacy becomes a thing that affects one's spirit.

Christ got off alone, a lot. And when He died, He was utterly alone. He was placed in a safe tomb, with a heavy rock. He was well-protected, and they even posted a Roman guard outside.

People of faith have never been safe. The world concocts ways to get believers out in the open, where they are exposed, and where they are prodded to answer questions to land them into jail, or a violent end. For whatever reason, a person that believes in selflessness, in fidelity and purity, is an existential threat to non-believers. You must get away, get remote, and get behind a sure fortress. And then trust in God to protect, all the more.

The after the Crucifixion was a peaceful day. The world was stunned. Christ's believers were scattered and confused. The problem . . . it seemed . . . was solved.

But Christ was safer than ever. And He would soon emerge into a state where He really can take care of His own.