Giving Thanks for the Hidden Refuge
By Sarah Frazer
Bible Studying
“He who dwells within the shelter of the Most Excessive
will abide within the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1 (ESV)
Saying “thanks” is a well mannered and sometimes anticipated response when somebody does one thing good to us. Every time a buddy makes a meal, or reveals up after a tough day we are saying thanks. Possibly somebody we all know simply sits with us and listens. Maybe a stranger would possibly open the door or maintain the elevator. We all know that these actions deserve a “thanks.” Will we ever cease to surprise if we’re giving because of God for issues?
It’s simple to offer because of Him for previous actions, however what if we gave Him thanks for future issues? Psalm 91 isn’t essentially the psalm we go to with a purpose to discover phrases to offer thanks. It doesn’t even have the the phrases thanksgiving or thanks in it. I believe there may be one particular factor we will see on this psalm that may trigger our hearts to leap with thanksgiving.
Psalm 91 is a future psalm. It guarantees us that God can be there. The phrase “will” or an analogous phrase is used nearly twenty occasions. The writer is telling himself (and us) that God will…defend, fulfill, love, and information. It’s a future prediction of how God will present up for us. One of many foremost themes of Psalm 91 is that God is our refuge. As we have a look at what this refuge may give us, I believe we will extra readily give God thanks.
A refuge is shelter or safety from hazard. We don’t need to look very exhausting at our lives to see the risks we face. Bodily, emotionally, and spiritually we face the opportunity of danger round each nook. It’s true that we stay in precarious occasions.
So did the writer of Psalm 91. He mentions “lethal pestilence” in verse 3, “terrors” and “arrows” in verse 5, “destruction” in verse 6, and even “evil….and plagues” in verse 10. The writer describes occasions of hassle each day and night time, implying the entire time. Life has at all times been exhausting and typically it appears Christians have it a lot more durable on this world.
The hope we discover and the rationale we may give thanks right this moment is that it doesn’t matter what will come sooner or later, God can be our refuge of safety. He’s stronger and extra highly effective than any evil round us. Nothing can really hurt us, and for this we give thanks.
I name this a “hidden” refuge as a result of we regularly overlook that God is throughout us, the entire time. If we’re a Christian, His Holy Spirit indwells us, and the Bible guarantees that God by no means leaves us. This refuge is at all times there however typically we overlook. It isn’t a bodily refuge like a fortress with stone partitions or a tent to run into bodily. Our God’s refuge, though invisible to the bodily eyes, could be very actual.
Psalm 91 helps present us the entire methods God is our refuge. In verse 3 it says God protects us from the craftiness of the enemy. In verses 5-6 we’re reminded that God protects us from the assaults we will see throughout the day but additionally these at night time. Even the issues we’d not even see coming God is there may be to maintain us secure.
God is also our devoted refuge, which is present in verse 4. Every part we undergo and endure passes via the loving arms of God. We are able to belief that no hurt is everlasting and God sees us via every storm.
Our hearts usually overlook and that’s the reason the follow of giving thanks for God as our refuge helps align our hearts to this reality. We’d really feel forsaken, misplaced, and unprotected in our storms, however God’s refuge is there.
Once we learn passages like Psalm 91:1-2 we will take such nice consolation but additionally it provides us pause to offer thanks. We are able to proclaim just like the psalmist: “He who dwells within the shelter of the Most Excessive will abide within the shadow of the Almighty. I’ll say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I belief.’”
After we’ve got instructed the Lord that he’s our refuge and we will belief Him, we will additionally say, “Thanks!”
Intersecting Religion & Life:
What do we have to do to have God be our refuge? The reply is within the least three verses. These verses are from God’s perspective. God is talking about you and me once we place our religion in Him.
“As a result of he holds quick to me in love, I’ll ship him; I’ll defend him, as a result of he is aware of my title. When he calls to me, I’ll reply him; I can be with him in hassle; I’ll rescue him and honor him. With lengthy life I’ll fulfill him and present him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16
Discover that there are solely three issues required of us to have God as our refuge. The primary is to carry quick to God in love. Loving God, holding quick, believing and trusting God is step one. The following is to know God’s title. To know somebody’s title meant to actually know them as an individual. As soon as we put our belief in God we start to see how reliable He really is. As we research and be taught extra about God’s character we discover ourselves an increasing number of comforted. The very last thing is to name out to God. After putting our belief in God, attending to know God’s character, it is just pure that we name out to God in our hassle.
Which step of this course of are you on? Have you ever determined to belief God along with your life? Do you search to know and be taught extra about Him via His phrase? And have you ever referred to as out to Him within the midst of your troubles?
What is likely to be protecting you from looking for God as your refuge right this moment?
When was the final time you thanked God for being your refuge? How has He protected you? Take a second to learn via Psalm 91 and cease after every verse to offer because of Him for being your refuge.
Additional Studying:
Isaiah 25:4
Psalm 46
Hebrews 13:5-6
Photograph Credit score: Unsplash/Anna Rozwadowska
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