Lesson 4: God is a Refuge for Us

Everyone responds to the sirens.

artwork by Ellabee, Tenth Grade

The loud and monotonous wail of the tornado sirens sends all of us into action. The imminent threat of a violent storm launches us into action. We quickly move towards our place of shelter. For some of us it’s a basement or crawl space. For others it’s a closet or a nook in the house that will provide the most protection if the tornado hits. And yet for the most desperate, for those without shelter, it’s a ditch or a hole in the ground that will have to suffice. Regardless, when a life threatening storm arises, we seek refuge.

Storms, real or metaphorical, drive us to our places of safety. In the words of Psalm 34:8 David says, “Blessed is the man who takes refuge in the Lord.” Most scholars believe that David penned these words shortly after He narrowly escaped from King Achish with his life (I Samuel 21:10-15).

As we read about the life of David he had multiple brushes with death and disaster. He had many enemies, and at one point is own son tried to kill him. Yet David continued to turn to the Lord during his various trials. It was in the Lord that he found true goodness, true protection, and true peace.

Few of us will ever experience enemies who are literally prowling around looking for ways to kill us. But we may experience reversals in our health, our finances, or in our families. Tragedy can strike or we might just be threatened by the various storms that life throws at us. During these times of duress we typically rush to our place of refuge. For some of us this means that we turn to our savings account and try to throw money at the problem. Others feel paralyzed by crippling anxiety and fear. And still others turn to entertainment or various forms of escape to buffer them from the storms.

In Psalm 34:8, David exhorts us to remember that our Lord is in fact “good.” We are blessed when make Him our refuge during times of trial. Any other refuge will falter and fail. The Lord is safe, consistent, benevolent, and kind. Advent reminds us that the Prince of Peace is our refuge. When the storms of life come (and they will), we can turn to Him in prayer, worship, and adoration and He will wrap His good arms around us.