Grace Notes – Loving Refuge
“I love you, O Lord, my strength
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.”
Psalm 18:1-3 ESV
Grace Perspective:
In this Psalm, David sings of the LORD’s loving grace that enables him to persevere through the years as Saul sought to kill him. David and his men lived in the barren mountains of Judea, hiding out in caves when Saul and his army came close. He wrote this Psalm after God delivered him once again from the murderous rage of a man who knew his time as king was swiftly coming to an end.
In these verses, David recognizes God’s sovereignty and power, acknowledging that the LORD is his strength, rock, refuge, stronghold, and deliverer. David’s intimate relationship with God is evident in these verses as he repeatedly claims,
“The LORD is my strength…my rock…my fortress…
my deliverer…my shield…my stronghold.”
David shows us that God’s love for us is personal, persistent, and powerful. We can lean into the unchanging truth that God’s grace sustains us through every trial, providing a refuge when enemies pursue us.
A Touch of Grace:
What enemies do you face?
Where do you turn for refuge?
Grace Application:
David’s enemy pursued him for years because of jealousy and fear. (Read 1 and 2 Samuel for more of the story) Hopefully, most of us don’t have a person seeking to kill us; however, we all face enemies like doubt, fear, unbelief, shame…(fill in your enemy).
An enemy I often face is the fear of rejection. The very idea threatens to consume my thoughts and rule my heart. Like everyone, I have experienced rejection. Rejection in the form of a husband consistently choosing others left me fearful and wounded. I never imagined being divorced after 30 years of marriage. The fear of rejection and of being left to muddle through life without close relationships often stalks me. This was certainly not my plan for life, not what I dreamed of as a little girl.
However, I find refuge in the Lord in the deep grief of lost relationships, dreams, and plans. I pour out my fears, sorrow, and pain to Him, and I find comfort when the enemies of doubt and fear pursue me. I remind myself who God is. David’s words in this Psalm remind me that because of Jesus,
“The LORD is my strength…my rock…my fortress…my deliverer…my shield…my stronghold.”
When an enemy is pursuing us, we all need reminding that we can run to the gracious refuge the LORD provides, the Rock of our salvation, Jesus. Dear friend, I don’t know where you are today, but I pray that if you are in a hard place, you will cry out to the One who hears, understands, and loves you. May Jesus be for you, “The LORD your strength…yourrock…your fortress…your deliverer…your shield…your stronghold.” May He be your gracious refuge.
In His Grace,
Dawn
Prayer:
Gracious Father, I come to You in the precious name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, praising You, my strength, rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, and stronghold. Father, I confess my struggle with (________________________). Help me recognize the enemy quickly, especially when it’s my flesh. Give me the strength to turn to You for forgiveness, restoration, and refuge. Thank You for being my gracious Rock of salvation. Amen
Today, as you read this, I pray each of you will know for sure you are in Christ Jesus. If doubts linger about God’s protection or your salvation, call out to Him for reassurance and faith. Today is a good day to be assured of Salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have questions, please get in touch with me at graceisdawning@gmail.com