God “is” “my Refuge”. “Is” meaning ; “existing in this moment of time“, and “the substance, characteristics, and/or character of a thing”. God “is” a “right now”, “in this moment” God; alive, active and available to us. His “substance”, “characteristics”, and “character” is “my Refuge”.But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,…..” Hebrews 11:6
“With God rests my salvation and my glory; He is my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge is in God! Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!” Psalm 62:7-8 (Amplified Bible)
A “refuge” is a place of shelter, safety, and hope. The concept of God as our Refuge is very well stated in Psalm 91. The construction of Psalm 91 troubled me for several years because, as I read it, it did not sound like one person speaking; the “voice” in the verses starts speaking as “I”, then changes to speaking to “you”, and finally changes to speaking about “he/him”. This was cleared up for me when I heard someone explain that in verses 1-2, I am making my proclamation about God as my refuge and fortress; then in verses 3-13, Jesus is speaking to me about God; and then in verses 14-16, God is speaking to Jesus about me. Read it and see if that makes sense to you.
Psalm 91:
I (or you) proclaim about God:
1-2 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
Then, Jesus speaks to me (or you) about God’s response to my (or your) proclamation:
3-13 “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”
Then, God speaks to Jesus about my (or your) proclamation:
14-16 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:1-16 (NKJV)
Yes! He is my Refuge; a place of shelter, safety, and hope!!!
Our concept of His “isness”; the manner in which we define His nature, substance, characteristics, and character, and the way we “receive” His “isness” into our life and depend on (have faith in) it, will be the role that we “anticipate/expect” or “will allow” God to play in our lives.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,…..” God “is” “my Refuge”.
*** Fred Wilson *** is an author, former coach, teacher and Life and Liberty News Contributor
