#DailyDevotion Who Or What Is Your Refuge?
Psalm 11 I take refuge in the LORD.
This is a psalm of David. We cannot be sure when he wrote this. Some commentators point to the time when Saul was after him. This should be all of our motto in life. It is as much as saying, “The just will live by faith.” We can hear Jesus saying, “Fear the the One who can put both body and soul in hell.” Jesus himself lived among us taking refuge in the LORD, his Father. Taking refuge in the LORD is not taking refuge in anything or anyone else. How many of our fears and anxieties could we cast aside if we only did this.
Think of the things and people we turn to instead of taking refuge in the LORD. We take refuge in politics, political parties, and political leaders. We take refuge in our work and in our play. We take refuge in sex, alcohol and drugs. We may take refuge in our spouses, our pastor, or our parents. We turn to food, exercise and anything or anyone else in the created world for refuge. All these things will eventually fail us and not only that, turn around and bite us in the rear. They will bring us harm because we are misusing them.
How can you tell me: “Flee like a bird to your hills”? 2Look at the wicked: They bend their bow, and fix their arrows on the string, to shoot in the dark at those who are honest.
There were those who were perhaps telling David to flee like a bird to your hills (har in Hebrew, mountains). You might remember David previously called the LORD his gisgab (Moutain fortress, sheer cliff) metaphorically in Psalm 9. Perhaps his detractors here are taking David a little literally here or making fun of him. David will clear up this misconception in verse four. You might remember the Pharisees telling Jesus to flee because Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus places himself in his Father’s hands and continues his mission in preaching the Good News. People will perhaps make fun of us and our faith when we put our trust only in the LORD Jesus Christ.
David calls upon the LORD to look at the wicked and their actions. He wants Him to see how they go after those who are honest from the dark shadows. Our enemies often work in the dark, behind closed doors, in secret meetings. Where will you put your trust? To whom will you take refuge when you cannot fight back against the shadows? Make certain it is the LORD.
3When the foundations are torn down, what does the Righteous One do about it?
What are these foundations that are torn down? Perhaps it is all the trappings of religion, which God Himself gives us to deliver His message to us. In places where Christianity is persecuted, there are often times are no Church buildings, no pastors, even no Scriptures. All they have is the message that was delivered to them and the Scriptures they have memorized. The question then is “What does the Righteous One do about it?” It is times like these we indeed look up and cry out to our Father in heaven, “What are you doing up there? Don’t you see what they are doing to me?”
The response of our heart, mind and spirit should be, “The LORD is my refuge.” In Christ Jesus we have no other refuge, no other foundation, no other Rock. Keep putting your trust in Him.
Heavenly Father, when all our supports are taken away, give us your Holy Spirit so we may cry out to you in Christ Jesus to give us support so we don’t fall. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.