Refuge

“But You, LORD are a shield around me,

My glory, the One who lifts my head high.”

Psalm 3:3  

    As a freshman in college, I had the pleasure of getting to know a young refugee from Ghana, Africa.  While his entire story was fascinating, I was particularly captivated by his account of how he and his brother escaped their native country during the mid-1990’s.  Forced to flee in the midst of ethnic conflicts, they became separated from their parents and had to walk several days to the Atlantic coast.  There, they illegally boarded a cargo ship that was bound for America.  Amazingly, they survived on nothing but a large jar of mayonnaise. 

    Most of us probably have no concept of what it means to be a refugee.  We can scarcely imagine being forced to flee from our homes and go for days without food (and then only find mayonnaise!).  Yet we don’t have to be political refugees to recognize the importance of finding refuge and shelter.  Whether we’re fleeing for our lives, like my friend, or simply looking for rest after a hard day, we all understand our need to find a place of peace and safety.

    Ultimately, such a place exists not so much as a physical location as a spiritual condition.  King David was still in the wilderness, fleeing from his own son, Absalom, when he wrote the words above.  My friend commented several times about the supernatural peace that he and his brother felt, even when their circumstances were in turmoil.  Conversely, many of us can probably testify that a physically quiet and peaceful place can be a place of tremendous internal struggle (or am I the only one who has wrestled with their thoughts while lying in bed?). 

    True refuge depends not on our circumstances, but on our connection with the sovereign God.  When we are at peace with Him, all other turmoil fades.  There is a catch, however.  Peace with God depends upon both repentance and surrender; neither of which are particularly comfortable.  Yet there is no better place of refuge, no more secure place of shelter, and no stronger fortress than being in true fellowship with the One who controls it all.