These cattle egrets seem to have found themselves a tranquil sanctuary in the branches of an extremely large old tree. A sanctuary can be a church or an area in your home where you pray to and worship God, or any place of refuge where you feel safe and protected. The ancient Jews, as mentioned in the Bible at Numbers 35:11-15, had cities of refuge where the person who accidentally killed someone could flee to for safety from the avenger of blood.
But God Himself called Himself a sanctuary:
"Therefore say, thus saith the LORD God; although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come." - Ezekiel 11:16
Following is a 2 minute sermon clip by Charles Spurgeon on the above verse:
The good Lord assured His people that He would be "a little sanctuary" for them wherever they went. In using the word "little", perhaps God was saying that He would be as they were; that He would bow down to their littleness and be to each one of them a little sanctuary. "When the Lord communes with the greatest of men, He must become little to speak with them." The dispersion made the Jews able to worship God everywhere without a material temple.
"And He shall be for a sanctuary....." - Isaiah 8:14a
"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. (22) Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. (23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. (24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." - John 4:21-24
A sanctuary was a place of refuge, a place of worship, a place of mercy, the house of mercy, and a place of great holiness. God Himself is all of that and more. He will be to us a place of communion and of revelation. He answers our prayers, and today He "speaks" to us through the Bible, His Holy Word. So you may find in God and Jesus your sanctuary. All that you ever could want or need.
If for some reason, either sickness or a long journey, you are unable to go to the house of God, remember that God is your sanctuary and you can worship Him and pray to Him from your home or hospital.
Below is a song video that relates to this message, although it does not mention God Himself as being our sanctuary:
If you are an unbeliever, you need to turn now to the Lord in repentance before it is too late. Before Jesus returns to take true believers to be home with Him in heaven; or else you will be left behind to face unbelievable horrors during the 7 year tribulation period after the Rapture of the church occurs. Your eternal destiny, heaven or hell, is what is at stake.
"But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and all thy soul." - Deuteronomy 4:29
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." - John 14:6
Jesus is ready to receive you in His loving embrace. His outstretched arms will receive you with joy and with pardon for your sins.
All it takes is true repentance and a prayer for forgiveness. And, of course, a belief and faith in Jesus as your Savior and belief in His resurrection.
Romans 10:9,10,13 tells us : (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
