Where is your refuge?

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Scripture

It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man.
(Psalms 118:8 NASB)
You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You.
(Psalms 118:28 NASB)
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
(Psalms 118:29 NASB)

 

Observation


The Psalmist knew what it meant to trust in humans. Battles were fought day in and day out and alliances were made on a regular basis, trusting in the strength of humans to make a difference. But at the end of the day humans let us down, and the Psalmist knew this. He knew that the only place to put his trust was in the Lord. As a result he had experienced God's faithfulness and through that, the very nature of God.

 

Application


It is so easy to slip from trusting God for all things, to suddenly trusting in man. It seems to happen in a moment, when we don't even expect it to happen and we find ourselves in a place where we really may not have wanted to go. We step out of that shelter of trusting in God for his leading, and we try to take the reins ourselves and determine which way we are going to go and in doing so, we seek out direction and affirmation from people around us. Our trust comes from other people and that is not what God intended. He intended our trust to be in him and that we would discover that he is our refuge -- He really is all that we need.

Just like the Psalmist it is by trusting in him that we discover his very nature. God is good -- he will never do anything to hurt or to harm us. His is filled with love -- and his lovingkindness will last forever. There is a gentle warm anointing of his Holy Spirit which washes over us on a daily basis as we put our wholehearted trust in him -- he is our rock and he is our strength. He will NEVER stop loving us.

The only way we can be hurt is when we step out of the shelter of his refuge. When we do not stay close to him, when we put our trust in humans, then we place ourselves in a vulnerable position in which we may suffer injury. Every day of our lives we must maintain that place in our walk with him -- in which we find ourselves close to him for He is our refuge!

 

Prayer


Lord, thank you for your promise. Please give me strength to stay close to you, my refuge, this day, and every day. Amen.

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