A Midweek thought ~ Refuge and Rest
Following on from my reflections and ramblings last week, I was encouraged by my father who shared with me some of his thoughts around Psalm 61 and read out a poem he had written which I will attach at the end.
Verse 2 of Psalm 61 refers to a heart growing faint. Who can’t relate to that?
Those times when overwhelm kicks in or weariness pervades, when challenges seem unending, solutions elude you, loneliness has become the norm, demands are unrelenting, events are unexplainable, and pain engulfs you. We all know something of what it is to feel and experience a faint heart… we often just don’t know how to keep going.
Now for the good news!
We have a refuge.
This refuge has two key elements to it. Rock and wings. Not the two most likely elements to be put together in my book but they so beautifully portray what we need most, or I should say, what I often need most, and that is security / protection and comfort / reassurance and embracing rest.
It's mind boggling (Psalm 139v6), that the one who provides all this for us 24/7 is creator God, sustainer of the whole universe.
It is available to all who seek Him. This refuge is never full up, off-line, unavailable, socially distanced and can never go out of business. He who provides this never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121v4).
His business is to listen, care, provide, direct, reassure, comfort, sustain, bless, renew, forgive and faithfully love us…. Always. There is no love or relationship that can be found on earth such as this. Why would we ever try to find solace elsewhere?
The rock is a fortress, a strong tower which is impenetrable to the enemy. It sends out the message of strength, power, security, fortitude and an indomitable spirit. Inside we find refuge.
The wings are fragile, soft, downy and cosy. They tell me of warm and loving care, comfort, rest for our weariness, true and pure relaxing renewal. Underneath these wings we find refuge.
The two remind me of other couplets I have jotted down… courage and compassion; strength and sincerity; fortitude and faith; power and peace; truth with love.
So, let us cling on to the fact that no matter what may happen in our tomorrows, we have a refuge to run or crawl into. The promise at the end of the Psalm tells us that if we do this, God’s love and faithfulness will protect us (Psalm 61v7). That’s another promise to memorise!
Here’s another one “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” Psalm 46v1 and I personally love this one:
“Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me” Psalm 31v3. (This Psalm is full of lovely expressions, like: “Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your unfailing love” (v16).)
On a personal note, despite being encouraged and strengthened by others and their prayers, battles still exist. Life doesn’t suddenly become easy but the peace that passes our understanding enables moment by moment to pass, hopefully with grace and enough strength to take each step that unfolds on the path of life.
Just a couple of nights ago, I awoke at around 4am and literally cried out to the Lord (yes I did cry), struggling with something personal to me. It would not be profitable to anyone reading this for me to share the exact nature of my struggle, but I know full well that each of us at times can have something that niggles, or worse. It may be pride, jealousy, greed, the desire for status or recognition, immoral thoughts and desires, doubt, the hunger for more money, discontent, rejection, self-pity or anger (there are many more I’m sure).
At that time in the morning, I struggled, but I looked at my phone (to check the time) and decided to look at my emails. The UCB word for the day had come through and the verse at the top was Isaiah 50v7 “Because the sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint, and I know I will not be put to shame”. It helped me.
I read a verse for the day later in the morning, 1 Cor 10v13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it”. Verses like “Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials… because … the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1v2-3) arrive in my inbox and hit the mark.
God cares about the detail of our lives, every tiny detail, every struggle and every victory. He’s ready to help us and reach out if we just let Him.
It’s so easy to feel defeated when time and again we may struggle with the same ‘thorn in the flesh’. I have often felt so broken and guilty by repeating over and over the same mistakes or making the wrong choices. I’ve willed that God would not forgive me (yep I know that seems odd), because I haven’t felt in the least bit worthy of His forgiveness and mercy (again!) …. And am often in automatic dread that if He does forgive me then I’ll only go and repeat offend… feel worse and start the cycle again! How in the world God can constantly wipe the slate clean when we come before Him in true repentance and submission, and even want to use our lives and bless us, is truly love from out of this world!
I realise now that it’s the learning through the wrongdoing and suffering which is key. Believe it or not, God’s plan for my life isn’t baffled or gazumped by my depraved humanity…. How astonishing is that?! He’s there every step of the way to guide me back to His path for my life, to forgive, to lift up, to encourage, to nourish and cleanse.
Like Jeremiah so famously puts it: “I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (ch 29v11).
Why on earth would we want or chose to follow anything else? What a mixed and confused bag we are…. Choosing to go our own way, struggling with our fleshly desires and weaknesses, despite all this, being blessed by God and then become all smug and self-sufficient,thinking we can do without Him, the very one who has provided the refuge we have needed during our time of storm.
We’re all a bit bonkers! But as Alice says in her wonderland to the mad hatter: “I’ll let you into a secret, all the best people are”!
Don’t despair, we’re all human and will constantly battle something in this life. It’s the refuge you run to and take solace in that really matters, because there you will find life, real, true and everlasting life from the giver of life, our God of love.
With my love and care for your hearts
Ingrid x
A Rock and a WingPsalm 61 v 1-4
The rock it stands so steadfast, immovable and strong
And yet there comes from off it, a melody of song
From little, tiny, feathered friends, who come and fly away
While the big old rock just stays there, to wait another day
The one it never changes, is always just the same
While the little wings just fly away, almost before they came
What contrasts and what beauty, is there before our eyes
In those little, tiny, feathered friends, and the big old rock that lies
Our Lord the rock we stand on, the one in whom we hide
Who never ever changes, whatever may betide
But then He is the one as well, who shelters with His wing
So safe, so snug and so secure, in spite of everything.
(Ingrid’s Dad)
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