Word of the Week - Refuge and Protector
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
One of the most amazing gifts and benefits of a life of faith is that we serve a God who is a loving Father and as our Father He promises to be our Refuge and Protector. One of the primary roles of any good father is to provide covering and protection for our children. As a father of 3 daughters I have lots of first hand experience in this area and can really understand God’s heart in this. My daughters are on my mind 24/7 as I am always concerned about their wellbeing and I am determined to be there for them in times of trouble.The truth is that we have a heavenly father who is thinking about us 24/7 and is most concerned with our well-being both now and for eternity. This does not mean that we will not face trials and danger in life, to the contrary God tells us that we will go through trials and face many perils throughout our lives, but He promises to be there with us in the trials to see us through “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 He promises us in scripture that “He will never leave us or forsake us.” Hebrews 13:5. As our heavenly father He is faithful and will always be there for us. The key to this is that we trust Him by faith and call up on His name and invite Him into our lives daily. That we pray for His covering and Protection over our lives and over our family, and depend on Him as our Refuge and Protector as we face the day to day dangers and trials of this life on earth. We live in a fallen world that is full of sin and evil and we all need God’s covering through the blood of Christ to Protect us. “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one” 2 Thes 3:3One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 91 because it so richly expresses God’s love and concern for us as our Refuge and Protector: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[ I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91I pray that we will know and trust God our heavenly Father as our Refuge and Protector and proactively call upon His name each day and receive His benefits as so well-articulated in Psalm 91.Have a great week….-Duane