{"id":5544,"date":"2023-02-27T00:00:37","date_gmt":"2023-02-27T06:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/2011\/03\/the-great-refuge-and-safe-harbour\/"},"modified":"2023-02-28T11:39:26","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T17:39:26","slug":"the-great-refuge-and-safe-harbour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-great-refuge-and-safe-harbour\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Refuge and Safe Harbour","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
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First published March 20th, 2011.<\/em><\/p>\n

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WHENEVER\u00a0<\/strong>I write of “chastisements<\/a>” or “divine justice<\/a>,” I always cringe, because so often these terms are misunderstood. Because of our own woundedness, and thus distorted views of \u00a0“justice”, we project our misconceptions on God. We\u00a0see justice as “hitting back”\u00a0or others getting “what they deserve.” But what we often don’t understand is that the “chastisements” of God, the “punishments” of the Father, are rooted always, always, always<\/em>, in love.<\/p>\n

He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him takes care to chastise him… For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.\u00a0 (Proverbs 13:24, Hebrews 12:6)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, perhaps we do deserve our “just deserts” as they say. But that’s precisely why Jesus has come: literally, to take the punishment due humanity upon Himself, something only God could do.<\/p>\n

He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.\u00a0(1 Peter 2:24-25)<\/span><\/p>\n

O, the love of Jesus for you is the greatest love story ever told. If you have seriously messed up your life, He awaits to heal you, to be your Shepherd and the Guardian of your soul. That is why we call the gospels “good news.”<\/p>\n

Scripture does not say\u00a0that God is loving, but that He is<\/em> love. <\/em>He is the very “substance” of that\u00a0which every human heart longs for. And love sometimes must\u00a0<\/em>act in a way to save us from ourselves.\u00a0So when we speak of chastisements befalling the earth, really, we are speaking of his His\u00a0merciful <\/em>justice.<\/p>\n

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I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart. I use punishment when they themselves force Me to do so; My hand is reluctant to take hold of the sword of justice. Before the Day of Justice I am sending the Day of Mercy. \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>\u2014Jesus to St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul<\/em>, Diary, n. 1588<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"\"For some, that impetus to repent may only come in the very midst of coming chastisements, even moments before they take their last breath (see Mercy in Chaos<\/a><\/em>). But what terrible risks souls take\u00a0in staying out upon the sea of sin<\/em> as this Great Hurricane<\/a>\u00a0in our times approaches! It is time to find true<\/em> shelter in this coming Storm. I am speaking most especially to you who feel as though you are damned and beyond hope.<\/p>\n

You are not, unless you wish to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n

God does\u00a0not want to crush abortionists, pornographers, adulterers, drunkards, liars, slanderers, and souls consumed in self-love, riches, and greed. He wants to turn them back to His Heart<\/em>.\u00a0He wants all of us to recognize that He is our true pole. He, the “Substance” called Love, is the true longing of our hearts; He is the true Refuge and Safe Harbour in the present and coming Storm beginning to shake the world… and He welcomes every\u00a0single sinner upon the face of the earth to find shelter there. That is to say, His Mercy <\/em>is our refuge.<\/p>\n

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The flames of mercy are burning Me\u2014clamoring to be spent; I want to keep pouring them out upon souls; souls just don’t want to believe in My goodness. \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>\u2014Jesus to St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul<\/em>, Diary, n. 177<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In fact, dear reader, He is urgently begging <\/em>us to enter into this Refuge before it is too late.<\/p>\n

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Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still the time for [granting] mercy. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u2014Mother of God to St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul<\/em>, Diary, n. 635<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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COME, O DOUBTING SINNER…<\/p>\n

To you who believe God is merciful, but doubt His goodness and love for you<\/em>, [1]<\/sup><\/a>see I am Not Worthy<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/span>