I Will Take Refuge In You

I WILL TAKE REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS UNTIL THE DISASTER HAS PASSED. Psalm 57.1.

Recently, I counselled and prayed for some dear believers who came forward to the altar with their needs. One young sister was in tears. She said, “God has disappointed me and I am very hurt!” The others too had needs that were not fulfilled yet, though they had prayed. They came hoping that a pastor’s or leader’s intercession would help! How intensely we pleaded to God to come down and touch these dear people with His ancient power and with His compassion that never fails.

A little later, I was at a Bible class. There were two Christian lay-leaders giving testimony about how God blessed them tremendously with millions of dollars because they began to tithe faithfully. I sat there in the pew of the church wondering what would have been the reaction of those needy people I prayed for earlier, about God and His dealings which were so strangely different from theirs!

Our Almighty God and Father in heaven deals with each of His children differently and at different times. His ways are incomprehensible and ‘often confusing’ to a child who goes through disasters and diseases like King David in this psalm. Thank God for quick and timely answers.

But the truth is that the ways and dealings of God with His children are not always the same or so simple! As you grow in the faith and knowledge of God, you will soon find that God in His mercy and grace quickly answers most of your prayers for your daily needs. But many other requests do take time. Some are not even answered and others in different ways! It is God’s prerogative. The Bible says that God’s will is good, pleasing and perfect (Rom 12.2).

What then are we to do? How is that dear young sister I prayed for, supposed to go on living with her dire and crushing situation? In somewhat similar words of the psalmist David, I told her to keep clinging to God praying, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed”. It took years, but deliverance came for David. The calamity passed! God did not leave him helpless. He became the greatest king of Israel!

Dear believer, what other choice do you have in your distress and calamity than taking refuge in your God, though He lets you suffer for reasons He alone knows? Don’t be like old Job’s wife who told him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" I would be like Job "He got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised" (Job 2.20,21). I would rather die with God than live without Him, come what may!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, You have seen me and known my distress. It is too unbearable. Satan tempts me to distrust You and give up! But whom have I on earth apart from You and who have I in heaven if it is not You to receive me at last! Amen.