My Refuge, My Stronghold!

Yahweh roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But Yahweh is a refuge to His people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. (Joel 3:16)

What an amazing thought! While the unrepentant tremble and despair for terror when the power of God is manifested, I, His child, find great comfort and security in His power! For those who reject God, His power is terrible. The day of judgment is darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it (Amos 5:20, 8:9; Joel 3:15). 

 

God is my refuge, my stronghold. The wicked run from Him. I run to Him and cling to Him. He surrounds me with the power of His steadfast love!

Psalm 145 declares: “[Your children] shall speak of the might of Your awesome deeds, and I will declare Your greatness . . . all Your saints shall bless You!” (verses 6 and 10b). God's children rejoice in His power!

It is my privilege to praise God for His works and my responsibility to “speak of the glory of [His] kingdom and tell of [His] power, to make known to the children of man [His] mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of [His] kingdom” (verses 11-12) so that those who sit in darkness may desire to come into light.

What are the awesome and mighty deeds of God that I am to speak of? Let's look at the rest of the Psalm. God's power comforts, preserves, and blesses those who seek Him and fear Him. It enables Him to remain faithful in all His words and kind in all His works. He is able to uphold all who are falling and raise up all who are bowed down. He is able to provide food for and satisfy the desire of every living creature. He is able to be near to all who call on Him in truth, fulfilling the desire of those who fear Him, hearing the cries of His children, saving and preserving them (verses 13b-20). 

 

God is good! God is mighty! “[He is] not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He has forgiven me and poured into me the riches of His grace through Christ so that I may be a light and a witness to the praise of His glory (see Ephesians 1:3-14). I must speak of the goodness of His power so that those who tremble may understand and know “that God [in His might] works all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).