God is our Refuge
“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, though it waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” -Psalm 46:1-3
Whenever I read this verse the image of a lighthouse comes to mind. I picture a ship out at sea being tossed around by surging waves and pummelled by wind and rain. Just when the crew feels all is lost, there, through the black skies and thick fog, a warm beam of light appears, beckoning the ship to safety. A lighthouse is offering them refuge. It stands sturdy in the face of tumultuous weather, an ever-present help in trouble. This is our God. When everything around us is falling apart, He stands firm and draws us onto stable ground, away from chaos and danger.
There have been seasons in my life where I felt like that ship, subject to unrelenting stress and loss. It was easy to look at the circumstances around me and feel hopeless; Money was running out, my husband’s career was ending, friends had abandoned us, and my children were battling illness and emotional trauma. In this season I felt far from safe. It seemed I was a long way from shore, and with no end to the storm in sight, I grew fearful. It’s there when I believed all was lost, that I found refuge in the Lord.
It’s not that He didn’t show up until then. As Psalm 46:1 says, God is an “ever-present” help. The beams from a lighthouse stay on all night long, without fail. God is steadfast. He does not show up only when we call. He never leaves us in the first place. Sometimes we miss the light because we’re too focused on the storm, but it’s always there, offering us hope and lighting our way home. Once we fix our eyes on Him, our fear is replaced with courage because we know we are not facing trouble alone.
It’s important to note this passage doesn’t say God stops the mountains from falling or the waters from roaring, but it says He is a refuge, strength, and help. He doesn’t always eliminate the trouble but He gives us all we need to endure it. Sometimes just knowing the shore is near is enough to give a ship hope, to sustain them long enough to survive the waves. Whatever you’re facing today, know that God is near. Fix your eyes on the light and trust in its steady beam to guide you through.
Study & Reflection: Think about a time in your life when you felt overwhelmed by what was happening in the world around you. How did you see God’s presence in the midst of the storm? Spend some time today thanking Him for being your ever-present help in trouble. Continue reading the rest of Psalm 46. What words or phrases do you find encouraging? Write them down and refer to them when you’re in a season of trouble, stress, or loss.
Prayer: Lord God, you are my strength and my refuge. You are ever-present in times of trouble. Therefore, I will not fear, no matter what comes my way. I know You will give me everything I need to get through. Help me keep my eyes fixed on you and not on the chaos surrounding me. I trust You to lead me to safety.