Real Hope: Finding Shelterနမူနာ

Disaster And Psalm 46

In the midst of whatever you’re feeling today, God wants to be your refuge, your strength, and your help. God is our protection even when what seems permanent is demolished. When the world crashes in around us, God is still there, protecting us. The word ‘refuge’ literally means to flee, as in running to a shelter. While the idea of a refuge is a bit vague to us, the first readers of this Psalm understood this concept very clearly. In the Old Testament, six ‘cities of refuge’ were set up for those who had accidentally killed someone. It was common for a blood relative to seek revenge on the one who had killed his family member so this allowed the perpetrator a place to flee for safety.

What a great picture of God’s heart! He gives safety and refuge to His people, especially when they are in crisis. If your world is rocked right now, if you’re tired of running, run to the Rock of Refuge and seek safety in His strength.

The word ‘strength’ implies that we can rely on His might when we feel weak and defenseless. And we’ve all felt like that at times. You know of course that nothing saps our strength like stress. Proverbs 18:10 says, ‘The Lord is a mighty tower where His people can run for safety.' In other versions, they use the phrase ever-present help. And that means God is quick to give assistance. It literally means that He has ‘proven’ Himself to be such a help in the past and we can therefore trust in Him in the present. He has been ‘tested’ and found to be trustworthy. No crisis is too big for God to handle and nothing will happen to Him. Because of this, we do not have to fear. God is calling us today to not live in fear because He is our refuge, strength, and help.

written by CHRIS WITTS