Blessed are those Who Take Refuge in Him
I was at church recently and the refrain in the Psalm reading was “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him“ from Psalm 2
Refuge: a condition of being safe. Refuge biblically speaking reminds us that He is our dwelling place, our trust, and our hope.
Hearing and repeating the refrain throughout the reading of Psalm 2 really made me consider whether or not I am making Him my refuge or if I am trying to make one of my own.
There’s a desire, from way back in the Garden, to be our own refuge. or make our own refuge. After falling prey to the enemy, Adam and Eve sought refuge in the garments they made; out of shame. Our shame and fear makes us do funny things. When God seeks them out afterward this is Adams’s response “And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.’” Gen. 3:10.
Adam sought refuge in what he created but God saw beneath the garment He made into his soul. We try and cover up who we are and what we’ve done. We can dwell in our comforts. We can depend on and trust deeply in ourselves. Though the Lord sees past what we try and cover ourselves with right into our very soul.
My desire to be my own refuge leads me to believe the subjective truth that my life rises and falls on my capabilities. This is not true. What is objectively true and can be proven through my own experiences and any great Christian life before mine is that He is my refuge. & when I get out of my own way I am able to rest securely in His safety. He can be my refuge.
We want to make our own place of safety. Our own refuge. We can have a level of trust in ourselves as we utilize free will and participate in the calling He has for us, but ultimately our trust should be in Him. The reality is that when we try and create our own refuge, the Lord can’t and won’t bless it… Just as Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden we experience more anxiety and trepidation because we live outside of His unique will for our lives when we try and rely on ourselves.
I found myself this day asking “In what ways have I tried to create a refuge for myself??”
What is most prevalent is that I chose to do the things I am capable of rather than surrendering to the Lord and allowing Him to take me into places where I am incapable and have to trust Him deeply. I trust my own capabilities more than I trust my God who is all-powerful and knows the end from the beginning. Thankfully as I recognize this (over and over, I need lots of repetition 🤪) His mercy, so divine, has fallen afresh.
If you need the reminder like I did this day. You can’t create your own space of safety. Hiding behind your created and faux refuge won’t lead to blessing. He wants to bless you and the only way He can is if you take refuge in Him. The best place you can be is right inside His will and that is where His blessing, favor, grace, and mercy will be poured out on your life. Trust Him. (ironically coming from the gal who finds it hard to trust)
Questions to ask yourself:
Am I placing more confidence and trust in my own capabilities or in God?
If I am placing more confidence and trust in myself, why do I feel the need to? What triggers this need within me?
Who is someone in my life that I can be vulnerable and share this with?
Reminders:
Placing your confidence and trust in the Lord will lead to spiritual blessings.
You weren’t meant to create your own refuges, Christ is your refuge and strong tower.