God is my refuge
Do you have that kind of inner resource? When life is under attack, do you have a fortress with inner provision that can withstand the siege? Between the two World Wars, the French built an 87-mile-long defensive wall called the Maginot Line—the great wall of France that defended its border with Germany. Three lines of defense were incorporated into the wall. The first were strong houses, small, fortified barracks designed to sound the alarm. The second line of defense were deep, reinforced bunkers to delay enemy attack. But the third line of defense was called ouvrage, deeply buried multi-storied forts every four to six miles. Below the barracks, at the deepest level, were the storehouses of ammunition, food, and above all else, a constant supply of water from deep wells.
When the Germans did move against France, they did not even try to attack these final forts. Not a single one of the ouvrage was ever overcome or taken by the Germans. Why? The Germans knew the soldiers in these bunkers could survive and resist almost indefinitely because of the deep, endless supply of water. All of us need fortifications for life. But every line of defense is inadequate unless deep within us there is a resource hidden, abundant, untouchable.
When the assault of life’s enemy comes, we need not fear if that Source is within us. Absolute trust in God means that Source of life can never be taken, despite rejection, poverty, loss of vocation, or misunderstanding. Jeremiah himself experienced all of that and more. Yet what was true for him can be true for you. Jesus said it best: from within, streams of living water.[1]
Have you fortified your life so much that the enemy knows that it cannot penetrate? Do you have absolute trust in God in your time of trouble?
Psalm 46 was written by the sons of Korah, and is set in the context of catastrophic chaos, troublesome times, and unparalleled uncertainty. The writer’s world was crumbling all around him. This Psalm was written with the nation of Israel in mind, but it certainly applies to us today.
We do not have the space to dig deep into this passage, but we can glean a few points.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
Who is our refuge and strength? Is it God or man?
This Psalm begins with God and it ends with God, v. 7 says, The God of Jacob is our refuge.
When you hear the word refuge what comes to mind?
Refuge can be defined as a safe retreat, a place of healing and renewal.
Can we have a false refuge? A false security?
For many people in this world, security comes in acquiring an abundance of earthly things.
But God promises to be our refuge, our strength, and our help.
Verse 1 says, “a very present help in trouble.” God promises to hide us in His shelter, and He can help us by His strength. The word very means He helps “abundantly and greatly” right now, in our present situation. What a God we serve? He comes to our assistance when we are afflicted. Are we being afflicted? He is always available and always accessible.
The last part of verse 10 says, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Only as we quiet our souls and reflect on the Lord’s supremacy and triumph over the nations, will we be able to have true peace. Remember that God will be exalted among the nations, and He will be exalted in the earth! He is working out all things for His glory and for our ultimate good.
Verse 11 is a great summary statement of this entire psalm as it repeats verse 7. Because “the Lord of hosts is with us, and the God of Jacob is our fortress,” we can trust Him.
Nothing has happened in this world that is outside of His plan. Nothing leaves Him bewildered or astonished, nothing ever catches Him by surprise. Though incredible upheavals may come, though the mountains fall into the sea, those who know and cling to Jesus will have nothing to fear. Whether it is some kind of health issue, economic issue, or if it something else in your life, we may know one thing that God is our refuge.
God has promised to never leave you. You may not know what the future holds, but you know Who holds the future. Therefore, we may rest in His presence and grace. God knows the plans He has for you, plans for your well-being and not for calamity, plans to give you a future and to give you hope.
I like how the Message Bible translates Ps. 46:10, “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”
This may be difficult to do, to step out of the traffic. What does that look like for you? What is your traffic? Whatever is getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus Christ is traffic that needs to stop or to be re-evaluated. God has promised to never leave you and to be by your side through all things, to be your refuge in your time of trouble. Just remember He is above all things, like the song goes, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”
[1] AMG Bible Illustrations, Bible Illustrations Series (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2000).