Have you ever been in a place that feels like a refuge? Some may feel that refuge in a church, maybe a favorite spot on the lake or beach. A refuge is a place where you feel safe, you feel happy and secure. A place that you can go and know that no matter what’s going on in your life, that you can trust that everything is going to be ok.
When Jacob and I first started our Youth Ministry, we prayed that our house would be a refuge. That not only would our children feel safe and peace but that our youth kids would also. We prayed for God to send hurting kids to us, kids that need a place to go to feel safe, to feel love. We knew that not every home a child comes from is a Christian home. We wanted to be that connection for them. If they needed a place to crash, to hang out they could. And boy did God answer that prayer! We have seen so many teenagers from all types of home life come through our doors at church and cross our paths. And the ones that have stayed with our youth group have told us so many times that they feel better at our house, they feel peace just being there.
As most of you know, Jacob and I are living at his parents house while we are remodeling our new house. And as you can probably guess, I miss my refuge! I feel so out of place, like I’m a visitor in my own life. Every day when I get up and start this devotional, I’m not sure what God is going to show me, what He wants me to write. I don’t think about it the day before, I don’t plot this out. I read the scripture, I pray, I ask God to tell me what to write. Then I sit at my computer and I write. So I’m completely awed at what He has to tell me today. In Psalms Chapter 5 verse 11 it says: “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for you.” So I looked up what refuge means translated in Hebrew, it means “take refuge in, to trust in.” It hit me like a ton of bricks. Yes, God may have blessed our prayer for our house to be a refuge for others, but ultimately we should take our refuge in God. He is our refuge. I may be just a visitor in this house right now, but my refuge is God. I still have a home of refuge. He is my home!
The rest of this chapter goes on to read: “Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely O, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
One other thought to leave you with. The second part of that translation, says “to trust in”, we can place our trust with the One who is our refuge. So even as I’m struggling with having to stay in someone else’s house while we work on ours, all of the issues of remodeling, the process that it takes, I know that I can trust God. I can take refuge in that trust in Him. We will get the house done, we will be able to move, and I know that Jacob and I will pray that prayer again over our new house, and I know that there will be peace in that home. But now I can go with the knowledge that God is my ultimate refuge, He is my home.
Hugs,
Erin
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