Xanthe Hancox

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:1,9-10

I write today’s piece from my kitchen table, which is now my home office. I share this glamourous working space with my husband (who takes a great deal of phone calls and is very loud), our toddler (who has got into the baking cupboard and is making patterns on the floor with the self-raising flour), and about 17 unwashed mugs. Perhaps by the time May rolls around and you read this, the restrictions will have lifted and I’ll be back at work sipping a coffee in peace.

For now though, many of you, like me, are locked in your homes to keep ourselves and our communities safe from coronavirus.

As inconvenient as my working conditions may be, that’s not really what’s troubling me. I fear for the safety of my family. I worry about my parents, about my grandmother who lives in a care home. I worry about our jobs. I think about people who have already lost income, who are already ill, who have already lost loved ones. It is, on every front, an incredibly troubling time.

In Psalm 9, David provides a blueprint for helping us to refocus on God and find comfort and refuge in Him.

Thank God all the things he has done for you (v.1)

Rejoice! Be glad! Sing! (v.2)

Acknowledge that he defends you (vv.3-5)

Go to Him for refuge (v.9)

Talk about what He’s done for you (v.11)

Receive His mercy and rejoice in His salvation (vv.13-14)

Prayer: Lord, give me eyes to see your hand at work even during these troubling times. Help me to see goodness always and even yet be able to praise you. Thank you for always being a refuge. Amen