In a world full of troubles, it’s easy to be afraid and to run to that one place where you can wrap yourself up in the safety and security of what you know. I suppose for some, all alone on a desert island might seem to be the safest place to be right now. At a time when confusion, doubt and fear abound, we all need a place of safety and survival because there is no place to hide from what’s going on in the world around us. It should go without saying that life on a desert island is not a reality although you may feel all alone against the troubles you face. But even when feeling all alone in a desert place, you can have faith in knowing that God is still with you and that His hand of providence and protection is by your side.
Psalm 46:1-3 (KJV)
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
Finding safety and survival requires a refuge – a place of safety for those times when the storms of life come or when the enemy appears on the horizon. Sometimes the storms are sudden. Sometimes they are predictable. Sometimes the enemy doesn’t have a name. Sometimes the enemy is someone you thought you knew.
Such was the case when David, as he was being pursued by King Saul, sought a place of safety and security in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22; Psalm 142) and again later in the cave of En-Gedi (1 Samuel 24; Psalm 57).
By examining David’s pursuit of a safe place of protection during his troubles, we can determine five steps that will help us find refuge from the confusion, doubts and fears that confront us.
1. Ask for God’s Provision (Psalm 57:1; Psalm 142:1-2)
David called out to God, asking for God’s merciful kindness and help in the midst of his troubles…
Psalm 57:1 (KJV)
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Psalm 142:1-2 (KJV)
1 I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
Like David, you can call upon a God who is faithful, attentive and generous in His provision to you. Even when you don’t see help in any other form, God has His grace sufficient and ready to cover you and to lift you out of the mire. Turn your doubts, confusion and fears over to Him. Seek safety in His refuge. He is your stronghold in troubled times.
2 Samuel 22:2-4 (KJV)
2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
2. Await God’s Promises (Psalm 57:2-3; Psalm 142:3)
David knew that God had special plans for him and that God would rescue him in due time. He had first-hand knowledge of the cost associated with impulsive actions…
Psalm 57:2-3 (KJV)
2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.Psalm 142:3 (KJV)
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
Patience is a key to safety, but trouble has a way of making people act impulsively and many times irrationally. It’s easy to think you have the answers and to take actions that can make matters worse when you should have exercised patience. Remember that God is faithful to keep every promise He’e ever made. He’s in control of every situation, even the one that caught you by surprise. God has the situation under control and He will come through in His appointed time.
Psalm 62:5-8 (KJV)
5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
3. Affirm God’s Power and Position (Psalm 57:4-6; Psalm 142:4-6)
Although David’s enemy was strong and his own resources were few, he realized that God was greater than anything he faced and was more than he needed to survive…
Psalm 57:4-6 (KJV)
4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.Psalm 142:4-6 (KJV)
4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
While the storm you face may seem mighty and your enemy may seem stronger than any you’ve ever encountered, you have a God that’s so much more powerful than any wind, rain, or tide the storm bring your way or any weapon the enemy can invent to bring you down.
Psalm 91:1-4 (KJV)
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
4. Accept God’s Plan of Protection (Psalm 57:7-10; Psalm 142:7)
Just as God had a plan for David, God has a protection plan for you. God rescued David in each situation and provided exactly what he needed at the right time…
Psalm 57:7-10 (KJV)
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.
10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.Psalm 142:7 (KJV)
7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
Whether it’s a way of escape, a way to overcome, or a some other way, God makes a way when there seems to be no way. You can trust in His plan to protect you no matter what. Sometimes, God’s plan of protection is provided in His awesome power. Sometimes it’s delivered through His mercy and grace.
Psalm 9:9-10 (KJV)
9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
5. Afford God Praise (Psalm 57:11; Psalm 142:7)
When it was all said and done, David praised God for the safety and survival that he found in God, his refuge and his stronghold in troubled times…
Psalm 57:11 (KJV)
11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
Psalm 142:7 (KJV)
7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
It’s important to always acknowledge God’s hand of protection and afford Him the praise He deserves, not only for what He does for you, but also for who He is.
Psalm 59:16-17 (KJV)
16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
Finding the Refuge You Need…
The first step to safety and security of God is in the safe place of salvation through Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, who was given up for you, so that you could have eternal life with God and experience all of His promises. If you haven’t received that gift, ask God for that first of all, believing in His promise of salvation and in His power to save. Call upon Him to save you and receive the gift!
When you are safe and secure in Jesus Christ, you will have the answer to the question, “where do I turn to find the safe place, the refuge that can protect me from the storms and enemies of this present world?”
You turn to the Lord.
Psalm 121:1-3 (KJV)
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
