Psalm 28: 28-29
8.The Lord is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9. Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
Proverbs 14:26
In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
The word integrity is a late Middle English word that primarily means intact. (Oxford Online Dictionary) Intact simply means something that is solid, stable, and not deficient in any way. In time, the word integrity was applied to moral values and virtues. Integrity is missing from people today and the people of God must walk in this. We must be solid — inside and out. We are God’s workmanship and constantly under construction. His plan is to make us into refuges for the retreating, lost, wayward, confused, cowardly, and defeated. To be a refuge, we cannot be like them. Are you up for the challenge?
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The Lord is our strength and our refuge. God wants us to be like him, and to grow into refuges for others. He does not want us to cower before storms and trials. He wants us to testify in the midst of them. We hear a lot of scriptures on weakness and dependence when trials hit, because most folks will never overcome them. The sentiment of the modern church is to coddle and quote scripture out of context — allowing people to feel comfortable in their marginal commitment to overcoming and standing firm when others waver, wander, and retreat as life’s vicissitudes continue to bombard them. We must be visible refuges in the storm. This is not optional. Retreating from challenges is not godly. Cowardice is not wise. It is not a virtue.
I remember in my mid twenties, a trial came my way. It was of my own doing, and I was spending a great deal of energy trying to avoid the issues that were heading my way. The Spirit of Truth spoke these words to me. (I’ll never forget.) “Have courage; Face it.” Conviction from these words sat upon me; it would not leave until I exercised the courage to face my issues. In time, I became confident in God’s ways. I am still beset by fears from time to time, but from that day forward — I was different.I knew there would always be expectations from God upon my life and courage was now a very real expectation, not a selective one. I had to grow in courage.
Growth is not for show or the purposes of testimony. Growth is necessary. Growth is called for, and growth will cost you your comfort. Peter exhorts us in 2nd Peter 3:18: “Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Growth happens when we respond to the convicting power of the Spirit and exercise the courage to move forward. If we are consistent, the fruit of confidence will rest upon us. People will see it, and will be drawn to it as life’s crises emerge. We will become refuges. One last thing about growth — it almost always happens when you put others or a cause before yourself.
Now if you are a Christian that is resisting this message, that’s fine. Consequences are some of those inescapable things that will follow you like a shadow. Whispers and groanings from your conscience will also awaken you and inform you of the fruit that cowardice brings and what awaits you. If we sow in fear, we will reap the fruit of it. Maybe you have been deceived by well meaning folks that have told you to avoid hardship, risk, vulnerability, sacrifice, and persecution. If so, you have missed the point of being one of God’s elect. You have embraced a false dream of ease that will become a nightmare shortly. Your embrace of fear will not help anyone. Your embrace of courage will shelter many, including those you call family.
Those who fear the Lord have strong confidence and others will see us as a refuge. Specifically those retreating from the battle of life. Confidence does not happen overnight. We don’t become confident in the Lord overnight and others will not become confident in us so quickly either. We should always point people to our source of confidence. The scriptures testify about our children, but the broader meaning is directed toward anyone who depends on us. (Paul spoke of his spiritual children. It’s about anyone in any type of leadership folks. It applies to all of us.)The scriptures do not say that they find it somewhere else either. It clearly states that they will have a refuge in you, which means they will recognize you as reliable refuge. This does not mean kids or people will not rebel, or defy you at times in their lives. That will happen. It simply means they will know that you are a refuge. So whether you have children or not, this applies to anyone who depends on you.
The storms of life will come. God gave us an example and remedy in Christ. Christ — very God — became a man and lived in our midst as the catalyst to change everything. In order to continue changing the world, God immersed his people — the church — in the world. He did not remove us. That day will come. Until then — let us become refuges in the storm, as we draw our confidence from the ultimate refuge. Be blessed.