Refuge

“I love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:1-2 NASB

Where is your refuge?

Where do you go to feel safe and just be yourself?

The obvious answer should be God.  But, is He?!  Is He truly our refuge?  

There’s sufficient Psalms where David and others call God their refuge.  But for most of us, that’s just an abstract thought…we’re never really in danger where we need to escape.  For most of us, the slow boil of the distractions around us keep us unaware of the darkness that envelops.

The Lord has brought this to my attention just seeing how some flock to where God’s people are. 

Laura and I were at Allan’s family home in the village the other day. Allan Marroquin is our JV coach here at the Academy and his wife, Glendy, is the lead teacher.  Allan grew up in the Academy and is a growing believer and leader. Whilst Laura was utilizing her nursing skills, I (Ryan) was outside playing with the kids.  I noticed one of the little girls running around and thought to myself, “Wait, you’re not a ‘Marroquin!”  I had seen her there a bunch before but just assumed she was a ‘Marroquin’ (Allan has 7 siblings and a ton of nephews and nieces).  

Yet, recently, I had been in this young lady’s home with a partner team.  Her brother is a Rhino.  Her older brother used to be a Rhino.  Dad is not a good dude.  This little girl is 12 years old and doesn’t go to school.  Her parents didn’t sign her up for school.  Her “job” is to stay home and watch her younger siblings while her mom works 3 days a week.  She could still have participated in school, yet her parents didn’t sign her up.  It’s not a good home situation.

So, I asked her in my broken Spanish, “Why are you here?  Why do you spend a lot of time here?”  Her response: “I like it here.  My friends are here.”  In other words, she can be herself.  She’s safe to be a kid.  We’ve also seen her at the Academy for our new Summer Program which is open to different ages of boys and girls of the village.  There’s a smile on her face.  She laughs and giggles like other little girls.  She is free.

God drew me to a thought while pondering the situation of this little girl and why she runs from home any chance she gets.  She seeks refuge.  She desires to feel safe.  She seeks a place where she can be herself.  

She finds refuge around the people of God.  The Marroquin’s aren’t perfect, but they are a better situation than other places in this village.  And, when Allan and Glendy are present, there is definitely more salt and light.  It is the same with the Academy.  No one at BVSA is perfect, BUT there is a lot more folks there that are lamps of The Light.  The Holy Spirit is there.  It is a safe place.

If the people of God can be a refuge, how much more is God Himself?!  Seriously, let us always run to our Rock, our Refuge.  Most of us may not be in situations as bad as this little girl…or so we think.  Darkness is all around us.  If anything draws you away from the God of the universe, it is darkness, it is not safe.  

Run to the Light!!  Dwell in the Light!!  Believers, let’s seek after the only true refuge, Jesus Christ.  He is our only source of life and our only source of refuge from the darkness.

God, may we desire to flee the darkness and run, pursue the Light of the world!!