Psalm 91
The first four verses of this psalm read, “1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”
A common theme among the Psalms is that God is our refuge. He is our safety and our defender. We see in this psalm, that he is our fortress as well. A fortress and a refuge provide safety and rest to those who trust in the provision. If I show up to a fortress that has holes in the walls and a compromised roof, I likely won’t trust in the provision of safety that fortress will provide. Rather if the fortress is locked down and guarded, I will go inside and find rest. Let me tell you that refuge in God is like the latter. It is a good place to find rest.
The question arises, do you seek rest from God, or other sources. God desires us to be productive people and to steward the resource of our time well. He created us to work and to have dominion. With that said, productivity and efficiency can easily become your focus especially if where you live is anything like northern VA. How much can I fit in my day? Where can I fit this meeting? Honey, do we have a free evening this week? Fast paced morning, working lunch breaks, and phone calls on the way home. Where do I find my refuge?
If I am being honest, I don’t always go to God as my refuge and strength. I fall for the lie that turning on the baseball game will give rest to my soul. It might give rest to my mind and my body, but it does not provide rest for my soul. Connecting with my Creator in His Word and in prayer gives rest to my soul. Sitting at his feet gives rest to my soul. Listening to worship music on my drive home gives rest to my soul. Leaving my phone in the kitchen and praying with my wife after a long day gives rest to my soul.
The question stands, where do you find refuge? Trust in the Lord.