Our Place of safety

"The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."                                                                                                Psalm 9:9-10.  NKJV

The word 'Refuge,' can also be interpreted as, being a safe place, a shelter, protection and a place of relief. In other words, it can be known as a hiding place. At times through our lives, we have all needed a place to hide. For some this may be from different kinds of abuse. For others it may be a hiding place from being bullied.  A refuge is usually a safe place where one can take time out from the rest of society for a while, until there has been some kind of change to circumstances. A study of Psalm 46 gives us a very good insight of God's care and protection of His people.

We do not always need to go running into a hiding place for protection. If we need this, God provides it. Oftentimes, we just need some space, a time to get away from the cares of the world and take some time out. Where better than to allow God to take us to this place. Psalm 91:1-2 give us a more deeper understanding of God's care and protection for us:

"He 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."
                                                                                                                Psalm 91:1-2.  NKJV

Where is the secret place? Basically, it's where God is. It is the place where you go to seek Him in your quiet time, that place where you feel safe and encouraged. This can be anywhere but it must be a place where you can be alone with Him and seek some friendship, love and encouragement from Him. Note that when we are with Him, we abide under the shadow of His wing. (Psalm 91:4). Psalm 31:20 says, 'You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence, from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.'
At times, life can be hard. People may become far too demanding of us; and may also say unkind words about us - words that are not true but are said in such a way that people believe them. These are the times that when we need to seek God in His secret place - His sanctuary and pavilion.

Psalm 91 gives a great insight into the safety of abiding in the presence of God. May I encourage you to take some time out and study and meditate on this Psalm. There is so much to be gained by going through it and it will most certainly give you an understanding of just how much God wants to protect and take care of you. It is also a Psalm of warfare as it gives you promises that you can stand on and oppose any evil that may come your way. Take a look at these three verses from the Psalm:

"Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your way - "    Psalm 91:9-11   NKJV

Whether you're battered and bruised from what life has given you or you're just needing some time out - in need of refuge - let me encourage you to call out to Jesus; determine to spend quality time with Him on your own. Get into the secret place and let Him build you back up, piece by piece until you're ready to go out again and fulfill the commission that He has placed upon you.

Every Blessing

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com