Refuge

Rev. Andrew Nugteren (Christian Reformed Church of Toowoomba)

Where do you take refuge when bad news arrives? Do you indulge in comfort food? Distract yourself in endless scrolling on social media? Escape into binge watching? Like me, you might have tried some of these strategies. If so, you probably also know they don’t work and that the bad news doesn’t magically disappear.

Psalm 46 gives us an alternative. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”

I picture a lighthouse built on a sea-swept rock. The waves beat and crash against its base, but it is immovable. It is a refuge for those inside. The waves are still there, threatening to sweep away anyone outside. But there is a place of refuge in the midst of the storm.

When we follow Jesus, we find safety and security in the Father’s love. The storms of life still come, but we find comfort in the knowledge of God’s love. In the midst of weakness, we come to know God’s strength. We are weak, but he is mighty. He holds us in his powerful hand.