April 24 – Real Refuge (Psalm 37:39-40)

“The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”(Psalm 37:40)

IN WORD:
What does it mean to take refuge in God? It means to have faith that what He says is true; He will deliver those who call on Him. It means to appeal to Him in times of trouble; prayer is a powerful resource. But most of all, it means that we decide not to take refuge in ourselves, in others, in worldly wisdom, or in human strategies. We take refuge in Him, and Him alone.
What do you do when you’re in trouble? If you’re like most believers, you figure out a strategy and ask God to bless it. In His mercy, He may. But He calls us to a better way. When God tells us He is our refuge, He asks us to forsake our former allegiance to other sources of protection. Are you sick? First acknowledge that no medical treatment will work unless God is the Healer behind it. Are you in conflict with someone else? First acknowledge that no words of yours will change another’s heart unless God is the agent of change. Are you in financial distress? First acknowledge that no amount of income will help unless God is the source. And having acknowledged all of this, look to Him constantly. Follow His instructions for action, but know first that your action is God-directed and not a futile means of self-help.
God is a Deliverer for those who recognize how helpless and vulnerable they are. He is not a Deliverer for those who try to add Him to their own self-effort.

IN DEED:
“God helps those who help themselves” is a catchy saying, but it is not biblical. Rather, God helps those who know how helpless they are and who appeal to Him — on His terms — for deliverance. That’s not quite as catchy, but it is true. Those who want God to be their stronghold in times of trouble, must actually depend on God as their stronghold. The deliverance is His, and His alone.

“Dear Lord, although I am sure of my position, I am unable to sustain it without You. Help me or I am lost.”
-Martin Luther-