Refuge is something that we all need from time to time. Over the last year, many of us needed refuge from all manner of chaos due to the Nashville area tornado, global pandemic, financial hardships, civil unrest, politics, shutdowns, and personal circumstances. Oftentimes we seek refuge from life’s storms in places or people that are unhealthy for us, setting ourselves up for disappointments.
Refuge is defined by the Oxford dictionary as the “condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble”. Psalm 91:2 (KJV) declares, “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” The usage of the word refuge, in this case, translates to machaceh, which means shelter from rain, storm, or danger. The Psalmist is articulating that his refuge is the LORD and this is who he trusts in during a hard time.
What is the love of God?
The love of God is a powerful and unmatched place of shelter. In 1 John 4:8, the Bible tells us that God is love. Not only does God love us, God, Himself, is love. His character, His actions, and His whole being is love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV) tells us that love is patient, kind, not envious or boastful, or rude. It goes on to say that love is not insistent in its own way, it is not irritable, and it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It ends by saying that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. When we seek God for refuge, we are seeking love in its purest form.
Benefits of taking refuge in the love of God
There are many benefits to finding refuge in the love of God instead of earthly things that are subject to change.
- Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Even the hardest circumstances and events in the world, such as the ones that we are facing, are unable to separate us from the love of God.
Romans 8:35, 37-39 (ESV) declares, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- God’s love is unfailing, even when we are in distress.
Psalm 31:7 says, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.”
The Psalmist is sharing his stance that God’s unfailing love is worth rejoicing because He is able to love him even as He has seen his troubles and anguish. God will surely do the same for us in any of our distresses.
- God’s love protects us.
Oftentimes we will find that God’s love protects us by giving us wisdom, knowledge, and discernment to stay away from the things that may harm us.
Psalm 5:11-12 (NLT) shares, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.”
God’s love shields us from things that we are often unaware of and is an everlasting place of refuge.
Dayna Lovelady, M.Div., MBA, is a minister, intercessor, writer, musician, and conference speaker. She recently graduated from Regent University with a Master of Divinity degree and works full-time at The Christian Broadcasting Network. www.LinkedIn.com/in/DaynaLovelady
