Psalms 9:9-10 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.
That is powerful! He is a refuge (a place of safety and shelter), for the oppressed in times of trouble. If you are troubled today, He wants you to run to Him for safety. Run to Him before running to anyone else; do not run to your closest neighbor or Christian sister until you have first gone to Him in prayer. He is there waiting for you to trust Him, and He says that He will not forsake those who seek Him.
When you seek someone out, you search for him or her diligently as you try to discover them or something about them. God wants you to seek after Him and His heart.
So many things in this world distract us from running after and seeking God. Sometimes we are tempted to turn to a drug, alcohol, food or some other vice to numb us from the pain. There have been times when I have felt the strong desire to “escape” the hurt and not face it head on.
But when we “escape” and run instead of walking through it with the Lord, I believe that often we miss a part of Him that He wants to reveal to us.
Isaiah 43:1-3 But now, this is what the LORD says — He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; NIV
How powerful is that?!
WHEN not if you walk through the waters and fire, I will be with you.
This tells us two things. • First, we will have hard times to go through. • Second, we will go THROUGH them. They are not in our life forever, just a season.
And, my favorite part of those verses, is verse 1:
‘I have called you by name you are mine.’
We are His, why would we go anywhere but Him for help?
God is our only true refuge.
