Taking Refuge

But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy;
and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You (Psalm 5:11).

Let me be glad. Let me sing for joy.

I take refuge in the Lord. It’s what I proclaim; it’s what I preach.

The Lord is my refuge. He is my fortress (Psalm 91:2). It’s the Lord I trust.

What is a refuge? According to my Standard Junior Dictionary, it’s a shelter or protection, as from danger or trouble.

Yes, God is a shelter.

Yes, God is a protection.

Psalm 5:11; Psalm 5
Psalm 5:11; Psalm 5

From what do I need shelter or protection? The dictionary says danger or trouble.

It’s no mystery to me that this world is full of danger and trouble. The media tells me that.

But they certainly don’t tell me about any refuge or shelter or protection.

For every solution this world offers, it offers a thousand more trials and troubles.

And yet, I so often find myself checking in with the world to see if maybe they have a solution to my current problem.

Jesus also tells me this world is full of danger and trouble. “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).”

Yet, unlike the world, He does tell me about a refuge. He does tell me about a shelter. He does tell me about protection.

In the solution Jesus offers, He offers a solution to every trial and trouble.

Jesus is the One I need to check in with to see what solution He has to my current problem.

It may be an easy fix. It may not. It may be hard, or it may require repentance, or it may stretch me in ways I can’t imagine. But it is, and will be the answer.

Jesus forewarned that there would be tribulation. It comes in big ways and small ways. It comes corporately and individually. No matter how big or small, tribulation is tribulation. Trial is trial. Trouble is trouble. And it’s all in this world.

Take courage. Jesus has overcome this world.

For a little while we suffer, then we will see face to face. All our trials will be over.

And in the meantime, God is our refuge. He is our shelter. He is our protection. He has a solution. We hide in Him. We seek His face.

We listen to His voice, not the world. We obey Him and follow His ways, not the world’s.

And we choose glad, the oil of gladness. We sing for joy.

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