From God comes…
From God comes refuge.
Refuge means to provide safety and protection from danger and distress. Many scriptures refer to God as a rock, a strong tower, our strength, and our refuge. (Psalm 18:2) God is our refuge. He’s our safe place to go when this world gets us down. Sometimes we forget that and try to muddle through on our own.
In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to set apart six cities as “cities of refuge,” places where people could flee if they unintentionally killed someone—an accidental death. (Deuteronomy 19) These cities were easily accessible and open to everyone. The gates were never locked. People could be protected from those seeking vengeance.
Moses was the first to use the concept of God being a refuge for all His people. (Deuteronomy 33:27) King David said God was his stronghold and refuge. (2 Samuel 22:2). Psalm 46:1 reminds us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in our time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear…” Psalm 91:4 lets us know we can take refuge “under God’s wings.”
Spiritually speaking, we all need somewhere to flee when we get off track, inadvertently harm others, and make mistakes. We need a place to cast our cares during dire circumstances. (1 Peter 5:7) A place to find rest when we are tired or weary. (Matthew 11:28) A place to find solace when we are fodder for the rumor mill or falsely accused. A place to find comfort when we feel hurt or misunderstood. We have such a place. We can flee towards God’s mercy and grace.
From God comes refuge. When life gets us down, there is no need to muddle through on our own. We can run to God’s loving arms. God is our refuge.
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“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God…”
~James 1:17 (NLT)
