Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 14
God Is Our Refuge
Psalm 62:7-8.7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Our God is able. God’s people can trust in Him at all times, more so, in our times of need. A refuge is a shelter where there is protection, safety, security, a safe haven, a hiding place.
The Rock of My Strength
The psalmist uses the personal pronoun “my”, by way of personal testimony, to recommend to God’s people his God. He speaks of the stability that he finds in his God. God is described as a Rock, solidly stable to all who seek its shelter. God is the Source of strength for the psalmist. The imagery of God as the Rock is well described in Psalm 18:1-3. 1And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD ismy rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, andmy high tower. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
In God Is My Salvation
In God is deliverance from every trouble. God saved him through many a danger along life’s pathway. It is an experiential knowledge. Whenever he sought his God, he found in Him a very present help. Therefore, he is recommending his God to us. We are exhorted to acknowledge our God under all circumstances and trust His guidance through every crossroad in life.
Job learned this lesson to look at life with the eyes of faith, having full confidence in God’s care for him though his ordinary senses may feel otherwise. He boldly declared – Job 13:15-16Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall bemy salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
And My Glory
As he abides in God, obeying His Word, God honours His servant who walks with Him despite sufferings. God is the originator of all that is glorious and honourable in his life.– John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
My Refuge Is In God
There is an emphatic declaration out of personal conviction that he will seek none but his God whom he has found to be his true refuge. All others have failed in his assessment!
Trust In Him at All Times
He addresses us, beckoning us the people of God to trust God in every circumstance in life – Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him comethmy salvation. (Psalm 62:1). He was willing to wait upon God and exercise faith because God is most trustworthy. He will not run before Him but was willing to wait upon Him, to place his hope in Him. God never fails and He never will. This is a proven path – Psalm 22:4-5 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
Pour Out Your Heart Before Him
God answers prayer. The people of God can safely bring their petitions to Him and find Him faithful always in providing needful help – Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Our Lord Jesus exhorts in Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Indeed, the burdens of life can often be so overwhelming at times that they threaten to rob the believer of his confidence in God’s ability to help him through yet another impasse.
“To faint” is to lose heart, to let despondency take over, become discouraged, give up, grow weary, to despair, to be demoralized, to lose one’s motivation, to stop praying. It is necessary to pray in all circumstances especially in the afflictions and hardships of life.
Will the believer exercise faith to continually come to God in prayer even amidst great persecution, unbelief and apostasy in the times nearing the Lord’s Second Coming? Persecution will come when we hold fast to the old-time gospel – Jesus only saves! When persecution comes, when we are helpless like the widow against overwhelming odds and enemies, we are exhorted to continue to pray.
True believers will persistently wait with patient trust. Will Jesus find faith on earth? The answer is “no”. What a grave state of affairs for mankind!
This is the test of true faith. When we stop praying, we stop believing. When we pray, God gives us faith. Faith keeps us praying and praying strengthens our faith, paradoxical but true.
This is the mysterious interplay of man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty. May the Lord find us prayerful! May the Lord find us faithful! May we never give up but always hope in God, continue to trust Him no matter what the situation, for He is in control and He cares for you!
God is indeed a refuge for us. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee