Reputation

 I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.

Psalm 71:7 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.71.7.ESV

This verse is like my testimony in a nutshell. I have had severe mental illness, and I've been prodigal. Yet God has been merciful to me.

I see the word portent as meaning that the Psalmist was infamous, serving as a warning sign to people of how not to be. Sadly, that is true of many of God's people. We should have integrity and be exemplary, but very often we're not.

If God is our strong refuge, we don't even need to worry if we've got a rightfully bad reputation. We might well fail, but if we trust in Jesus, we're safe. We can take refuge in our merciful God from His wrath.

Because Jesus gave His life for us, we can have free access to God through His sacrifice on our behalf. We can find in Him our safe place, whatever life throws at us.

'Dear Father God, please help us to take refuge in You from the condemnation we deserve. In Jesus' name we pray, amen'

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