Refuge
Psa 9:9, The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Psa 97:10-12, You who love the LORD, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. {11} Light shines on the godly, and joy on those who do right. {12} May all who are godly be happy in the LORD and praise his holy name!
Psa 119:114, You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my only source of hope.
Some fifty years ago, one bitter January night, the inhabitants of the old town of Sleswick were thrown into the greatest distress and terror. A hostile army was marching down upon them, and new and fearful reports of the conduct of the lawless soldiers were hourly reaching the place.
In one large, spacious cottage dwelt an aged grandmother with her widowed daughter and her grandson. While all hearts quaked with fear, this aged woman passed her time in crying out to God that he would "build a wall of defense round about" them, quoting the words of an ancient hymn.
Her grandson asked why she prayed for a thing so entirely impossible as that God should build a wall about their house, that should hide it; but she explained that her meaning only was that God should protect them.
At midnight the dreaded tramp was heard, an enemy came pouring in at every avenue, filling the houses to overflowing. But, while most fearful sounds were heard on every side, not even a knock came to their door; at which they were greatly surprised. The morning light made the matter clear; for, just beyond the house, the drifted snow had reared such a massive wall that it was impossible to get over it to them.
"There!" said the good woman triumphantly: "do you not see, my son, that God could raise up a wall around us?"
Purpose of a Refuge
A refuge is a place of protection and nourishment. It's a time to regain our strength after the last task and to prepare for the next one.
Often when we are on the battlefield, we wonder why God isn't sheltering us from the trouble. No matter how hard the times are - the Lord has promised not to ask us to do more than we are capable of.
1 Cor 10:13, But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.
Other times, when we are in a place of refuge, we wonder why we are not in the battle. We feel we are not being given the opportunity to do what we can do. We may not feel we are being trusted.
Paul's Refuge
After Paul was converted and called by God for a great work, he tried to respond to the calling before he was sent by God. Disaster awaited him.
Acts 9:17-25, So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may get your sight back and be filled with the Holy Spirit." {18} Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. {19} Afterward he ate some food and was strengthened. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. {20} And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is indeed the Son of God!" {21} All who heard him were amazed. "Isn’t this the same man who persecuted Jesus’ followers with such devastation in Jerusalem?" they asked. "And we understand that he came here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests." {22} Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. {23} After a while the Jewish leaders decided to kill him. {24} But Saul was told about their plot, and that they were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him. {25} So during the night, some of the other believers let him down in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
Paul's powerful preaching was not enough. He needed to be operating within the will of God. He was only working within his own strength and ability.
He next tried Jerusalem.
Acts 9:26-30, When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They thought he was only pretending to be a believer! {27} Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus. Barnabas also told them what the Lord had said to Saul and how he boldly preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus. {28} Then the apostles accepted Saul, and after that he was constantly with them in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. {29} He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they plotted to murder him. {30} When the believers heard about it, however, they took him to Caesarea and sent him on to his hometown of Tarsus.
Paul's refuge was home in Tarsus. It was years later when Barnabas asked him to come to Antioch to help with the new believers and a year after that when God sent him on the first of his missionary journeys. When he went at God's command, thousands heard the word and responded. Their was still plenty of trouble, but with the Lord's help, he could face it.
What do you think Paul thought when he was at home in Tarsus. It was a time for him to realize he, like everyone else, would be a failure without God's help. It was a time for him to learn how to walk in the center of God's will.
Hudson Taylor once noted that "God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him."
In our refuge we can learn to lean on Him.
Moses' Refuge was Midian
Moses tried in his own ability to rescue his people but it only resulted in murder.
Exo 2:14-15, "Who do you think you are?" the man replied. "Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Do you plan to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?" Moses was badly frightened because he realized that everyone knew what he had done. {15} And sure enough, when Pharaoh heard about it, he gave orders to have Moses arrested and killed. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and escaped to the land of Midian…
When the Lord called Moses after 40 years in the refuge of Midian, Moses said he couldn't do it. He new he could not do it in his own strength. He had learned in the land of Midian that he needed God's help. With that lesson, he was ready to rescue his people.
What do you think went though Moses' mind during his stay in Midian?
A believer was fleeing from his enemies during a persecution in North Africa. Pursued over a hill and through a valley with no place to hide, he fell exhausted into a cave, expecting to be caught. Awaiting his death, he saw a spider weaving a web. Within minutes, the spider had woven a beautiful web across the mouth of the cave. The man's pursuers arrived, but on seeing the unbroken web assumed it impossible for him to have entered the cave. Later that believer exclaimed, "Where God is, a spider's web is like a wall. Where God is not, a wall is like a spider's web."
Few things offer security to believers more than an awareness that God will use His overcoming power to protect them.
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