Dear Church,

It is good to be back! Psalm 18:2 declares, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge…my stronghold.”  In the Bible, “refuge” symbolizes God’s protection and care, where one can find safety and peace. Another Psalm affirms this truth: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Where do we find our refuge? For many of us, refuge may lie in our comforts, resources, technologies, or safety nets like healthcare, insurance, and savings. Yet, in these challenging times, we feel the pressing need for a true place of emotional, mental, and spiritual refuge. God alone is that refuge; there is no other.

The “refuge Psalms” (Psalm 18:2, Psalm 61:1-3, Psalm 91:1-3, etc.) repeatedly remind us to run to God for refuge. This means that our true refuge is found in the presence of the triune God and the vast resources available to us as members of His kingdom.  We must consciously practice turning to God as our refuge. Here are some helpful steps to do this:

1.     Proclaim It: Practice turning to Him by proclaiming with your mouth that God is your refuge. Speak it out loud as your heart turns to Him. Our words have the power to direct our hearts toward God.

2.     Surrender: Ask God to help you surrender all self-protective strategies driven by fear and lack of faith. Repent of looking to the world for refuge.

3.     Meditate on the Psalms: Read through the Psalms, focusing on words like refuge, fortress, and shelter. Linger on them. Pray that God will indeed be your true shelter and release you from the grip of all the false securities of this world.

Be encouraged,
Mathews