You Are My Refuge

Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul. I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. 

Psalm 142:4-5 

David needed a greater refuge than the cave could afford him. He was hiding from Saul, the king, who was pursuing him in jealousy and fear of his potential for becoming king. As a person of wisdom, David was doing the sensible thing, which was to physically find refuge in the cave. As a person of faith, he was appealing to God and pouring out his heart to his Shepherd. While the cave was his earthly refuge, Christ was his true refuge. David was feeling isolated and friendless. He remarked that there were those who sought to entrap him, while others distanced themselves from him. He felt this so keenly he remarked, ‘No one cares for my soul.’ He follows that statement with, ‘I cried to You, O LORD: I said, You are my refuge. My portion in the land of the living.’ When everyone and everything else fails us, we still have Christ. He was David’s refuge and He is ours. We may feel abandoned, isolated, hated, and shunned, yet, Christ is still our portion in the land of the living. He still hears us when no one else will listen. He still claims us when all others shun us. He has been the portion of His people in all generations. Because He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever, He will be to us, what He was to David, Our Refuge; Our Portion in the land of the living. 

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice that You are our friend 
when we have no one else. 
We praise You that in You we find refuge. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning