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Refreshment in Refuge
by Gina Burgess
Why do we toss and turn? Are we lost in Him or lost in this world?
When we confess our rebellions and disobedience, when we turn to Him and come home from our wayward and wastrel ways, God literally runs toward us, scooping us up in His mighty and strong arms, holding us and kissing us with great devotion and great joy for the return of His prodigal child.
Psalm 33:13 -- Jehovah looks down from Heaven; He sees all the sons of mankind.
God also searches the hearts of men. He knows without being told what we are fearful of, and yet He tells us to fear not.
Psalm 33:14 -- From His dwellingplace He looks on all the ones living in the earth.
No one person is overlooked. He knows what motivates Putin and what worries Trump. He knows what your best friend is keeping secret, and what is in the depths and folds of your heart.
Psalm 33:15 -- He forms the heart; He understands all their works.
He knows the secret sin that you cannot kick, and He knows bills need to be paid, kids need to be fed, work crises need fixing. And He still whispers to you, “Fear not!”
Psalm 33:16 -- The king is not saved by great force; a mighty man is not saved by great strength.
What?!! Assuredly, it is the Lord God who sets a king on the throne and keeps secure his first breath and controls his last breath. Psalm 33:10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
Psalm 33:17 -- A horse is a vain thing for safety; nor does he save by his great strength.
A horse, a gun, a knife, a cannon, poverty, a medical doctor, a nurse, medicine, cancer nor any other life-taking disease have no power over death or life. Only One in the universe gives breath, saves, and releases the soul from the body. Fear Him, not the one who might break bones.
Psalm 33:18 -- Behold the eye of Jehovah is, to those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy;
“to those who fear Him…” A mighty condition. Believers know God is merciful. He provides. He is stronger than any giant problem or crisis. Because He is merciful, He protects.
Psalm 33:19 -- to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Salvation is from the Lord both here in this physical world and in the hereafter we are saved. Believers live in a continuous, ongoing condition of salvation.
Psalm 33:20 -- Our soul waits for Jehovah; He is our help and shield.
Our protector, redeemer, friend, confidant, army, holiness, cleansing, living water, and magnificent refuge of safety.
Psalm 33:21 -- For our heart rejoices in Him because we trust in His holy name.
Trust Him. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Troubles will come, but will never drown you or consume you if you just trust Him.
Psalm 33:22 -- Let Your mercy be upon us, O Jehovah, even as we trust in You.
Tossing and turning, turning and tossing, tossing and turning all night...Bobby Lewis couldn't sleep at all last night. How about you? Sometimes I close my eyes and scenes from the day replay, or worry about a problem keeps revolving in my head and my brain just won't turn off or slow down so sleep can take over. It is a problem that millions all over the world have... Usually, it is worry or fretting about something we can do absolutely nothing about until a later time (like morning) or at no time because it is beyond our control. Sometimes it is all about something we forgot to do or neglected to do, and it is usually because we have forgotten to trust God to handle the problems.
Our Father is bigger than our problems. David proved that with Goliath. He is greater than nations or presidents or kings or bosses. There is nothing in this world or out of it that God cannot handle if we allow him to. The operative word here is allow. God gives His children permission with free will. We can choose how to react to any given situation at any given time. God is not a dictator that we should be bent under his yoke. God is not an evil judge that we must beg on bloody knees for our needs. To those that love Him, God is gentle, loving, kind, and He lifts those who are bent beneath their loads. Trust Him.
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Gina Burgess has taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training for almost three decades. (Don't tell her that makes her old.) She earned her Master's in Communication in 2013.
She is the author of several books including: When Christians Hurt Christians, The Crowns of the Believers and others available in online bookstores. She authors several columns, using her God-given talent to shine a light in a dark world. You can browse her blog at Refreshment In Refuge.
If you'd like to take a look at some Christian fiction and Christian non-fiction book reviews check out Gina's book reviews at Upon
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