Refuge

Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.”

Did you ever play hide and seek as a kid? Do you remember the thrill of running as fast as you could to the perfect hiding spot, while someone counted to ten or twenty if you were lucky? It was also fun to seek the others, unless you found someone too fast. 

I used to lead a youth group in Hooper, CO and that group changed the way my family played hide and seek. Instead of hiding and waiting to be found, it turned into hiding in the dark and scaring the living daylights out of whoever was looking for everyone else. The screams and laughter could probably be heard from the next town over. This turned into my kids loving to play hide and seek this way, and it becoming a very terrifying thing to be a seeker in our house knowing that any second someone could pop out of somewhere or grab at you out of the darkness which results in getting scared out of your mind while you are already a nervous wreck. Maybe we could trade spots next time it is my turn to seek at my house. 

My two-year-old loves playing hide and seek the right way, and is getting better at it. At first, she would hide behind a pillow or something very small and think that no one could see her. As long as her eyes were covered, she was invisible. I’m sure some of you can identify with this phenomenon that have played hide and seek with little kids. 

 In the verse at the beginning, “a very present help” has quite the meaning. “Present” means “is found” or “has been found” or “easily found”; “help” means aid or assistance, and “trouble” is anything that can happen to us which usually results in anxiety, sorrow, or overwhelming us. When you put all this together, we find out that God is someone who has proven himself to be easily found while coming to our aid and help in times of trouble. 

Now you may be thinking about all the times God has helped you, and you cannot help but praise His name, or you may be wanting to push back with a rebuttal while you inform me of how he definitely did not help you out in a terrible time of trouble. Whichever it is, I like your honesty. 

Most of the time our troubles cause us to freak out, turn to some sort of self-medicating, or look to anything under the sun but God, His Word, or godly people for counsel. The sorrow, confusion, anger, temptations, depression, anxiety, shame, pain, or fear can cloud our vision and thinking so much that we forget who our refuge and strength is. 

It’s like a weird game of hide and seek where we try to find God in times of trouble, and since our vision, thinking, feeling, and behaviors are in turmoil, we cannot find God. In reality, He is like my three-year-old when playing hide and seek; He is easily found, always in the same place, and has proven himself emphatically to be a help in troubled times. 

My friends, we need to lean on, memorize, and meditate on verses like these for the days we are going through and what is going to happen in the future. Because of the rise of evil, loss of common sense, and people following and accomplishing demonic agendas in our country, we need to use our refuge and gain strength from Him consistently or you will suffer. It is not a question of if this is going to happen to you, but when. 

Know that you need to run to your refuge, and strong tower that God is supposed to be in your life. Do not think of it as weakness, but intelligence and part of the Christian life to run to your Father anytime you need Him. Instead of fighting battles on your own, find out what it means to be still and know God is God. See that you will gain peace, grow in maturity, and have more love and joy in your heart no matter what comes at you. This does not mean that we will escape trauma or tragedy in this life, but we will not go through it alone. 

Do not use worldly, sinful, or secular things as your refuge or strength. Take it from me, God will show you how utterly useless those things are for solving problems or taking care of troubles.

God wants you to depend on Him. God wants you to trust in Him, and believe that He will be a help in whatever you are going through. Who better to help you then the One that created you, and knows you better than you know yourself? He is mighty to save, and He will deliver you from anything that is overwhelming you. He will fix your perspective, give you new eyes, a new heart, and His truth to stand on in these very shaky times we live in. Will you put your trust, and hope in Him, and nothing else? Will you get alone with God, block out the distractions, pay no attention to the enemy as he tries to fill your mind full of worry, hate, despair, depression, pain, or shame, and let God help you? 

I cannot wait for you to do this. You will find out that He will help you, and your faith will be solidified where it has been shaky. He will calm you with the peace that goes beyond understanding, it will be better than anything you have experienced before, and infinitely better than anything this world has to offer. 

Do not forget to share this with someone if you think they need to hear it. Too many these days are being overwhelmed, and do not know what to do. Introduce them to the God of refuge. 

Cody Biby