Where Do You Find Refuge?

April 19, 2023

By Brooke Holt

“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.  I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” Psalm 16:1-2

What is your refuge? Whether they admit it or not, many people today find refuge in their phones and electronics. Why feel the pain of this world when we can escape into the excitement of a video game? Or who needs to grieve the disappointments of life when we can get lost in online shopping, dating, or scrolling through social media? We have many escapes from the pain we experience throughout life. The question to ponder: do those escapes bring true relief and offer a safe place of refuge?

The psalmist for today did not have the option of turning to technology for refuge, yet he had other escape options in his day. Many chose to seek comfort in the idols; they worshipped foreign gods, trusted in earthly leaders, or turned to the covering of other nations. Thankfully, the psalmist chose a different way.

Psalm 16 teaches what it means to entrust oneself completely to the Lord. Here, the psalmist finds his refuge in God alone as he looks to the Lord for security, peace, and care: “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you” (Psalm 16:2). Through entrusting himself to the Lord, he found a holy confidence and a godly contentment.

Do you long for those things, too? I know I do. Some days I look to the Lord to be my refuge and far too many other times I run to busyness or the many distractions of my life. One of the great realizations from the Covid lockdown was people recognized their restlessness. The chaos of life kept them from seeing what laid underneath their frenetic lifestyles. Throughout those early days of Covid, the Lord graciously stripped us of our busyness and freneticism and exposed us.

People found a lot of unhealed pain, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and much more. All those things had been there. We just hadn’t taken time to acknowledge the pain we lived with each day. Then an uncontrollable virus and death seemed to surround us - certainly a time of testing. Would we humbly seek the Lord and find refuge in him, or would we continue to trust in the idols of our day?

As we emerge from the craziness of that pandemic and move back into the normal pattern of life, how are you doing? Are you seeking refuge in God? Are you bringing your daily fears, frustrations, hurts, and questions before him? Do you seek his presence, power, and direction for your life?

Like the psalmist today, you are God’s beloved child, and he longs to cover you with his love, to protect you, to guide you, and to care for you. To find this holy comfort and care, you must entrust yourself to him and not to the distractions of this world.

Reflection:

Is this your experience of the Lord today? Are you finding refuge in his loving arms? Are you crying out to him to meet your needs? Do you know that he has you and will never let you go? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Recommended Resource:

Follow the ancient way of the Psalms and find the life God has for you. A model for vibrant worship, the Psalms provide practical wisdom to traverse the circuitous path of life with trust and hope. Pilgrim’s Path: A Study of the Psalms traces our spiritual walk with God—from discovery and delight, through doubt and disappointment, into joyful confidence. Whether used for individual or group study, Pilgrim’s Path is for everyone who seeks to know and love God more and find life in him.