January 19th – Psalm 5:11
Psalm 5:11
Have you ever been in an emergency situation and needed a place of refuge? I have. The year was 1995. My husband was 230 miles away being cared for by his parents as he recovered from a plane crash. I was in Pensacola, Fl working and caring for our 20 month old daughter. That morning I awoke to a strong hurricane which had suddenly turned in the night and was heading directly for our coastline. I picked up my mom, packed a few things, and headed to where my husband was.
Eight hours later we were only 40 miles north of Pensacola. Traffic accidents had bogged down all the major roadways. And the radio kept reporting it wasn’t safe to stay in your car. We were tired, hungry and it would be getting dark soon. We needed a rescuer and a place of refuge. I prayed for God’s intervention.
How relieved I was to see a police car on the side of the road. I stopped and asked for help. The officer gave me directions to a high school that had been turned into a shelter. I was beyond grateful, for never would I have found this place on my own. There we were able to get a warm meal, stretch our legs, contact my worried husband and watch coverage of the storm on TV. God watched over us that day and night, providing who and what we needed. And oh, how my heart rejoiced!
A refuge is a place that provides shelter or protection, or something to which one has recourse in difficulty. The Scriptures tell us that God is our refuge place. But, we have to seek His refuge. We can’t stay exposed and vulnerable spiritually, trying to make it on our own.
To make God our refuge means we seek Him and have connection with Him, That way He can guide and provide spiritual resources for us. The Lord delights in both helping us and our dependence upon Him. Are you depending on God to be your place of refuge? Are you staying connected to your spiritual lifeline? If not, make a point to intentionally seek Him in some way and make this a daily connection. It could be through prayer, Bible study, fellowship with other Christians.
Blessings, Becky
