Psalm 9:9 “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,”
[Praise you, Yahweh, the great I AM, Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and earth, the sea and all that is in it. You who, while filling the whole universe, are aware of each of the oppressed and calls every one of us to yourself for refuge.
People are oppressed first and foremost by the devil as he keeps them enslaved by fear of death, by desire and deception, by division and distraction. And he oppresses through evil people, evil persuasions, evil purposes. Then we are also oppressed by our own old nature where selfishness, pride, lust and greed consistently seek to rule us.
But you, Lord Jesus, have opened a door out of this miserable morass of darkness and despair into the Kingdom of Light and Love, where you are our very personal refuge and strength, not just for our comfort but also so we may give you ever increasing glory.]
The Lord is “a stronghold in times of trouble.”
[In you we are safe during the destructive attacks of the enemy, able to turn these assaults into opportunities for growth and helping others. In you we can find comfort and rest, salvation and protection. In you we find love and grace, goodness and help. In you we find forgiveness and pardon, cleansing and transformation.
In you there is loving chastening, firm correction and certainty of rebuke when needed. In you there is deliverance from deception, lust, selfishness and stubborn, destructive independence. You are our protector in all troubles, as long as we dwell in your shelter.
As it says in Psalm 91:1-4 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” ]
Lord, help me to willfully take shelter in you in each moment and event of today, in You my mighty Rock and my Refuge.
