Jesus is Our Refuge

When we look at what is happening around us and in the world it does seem as if the earth is giving way, the mountains are quaking and falling into the sea, and the waters of the oceans are roaring and foaming. The world is unstable. Nations, peoples, leaders, governments are in uproar. Creation is unstable. If it is not overwhelming floods it is parching droughts. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes are a constant threat. A pandemic that is not giving us a break. Wildfires raging around us. And the oppressing smoke does not help. It blocks the light. It darkens moods and threatens health and well-being. It’s easy for us to become anxious, fearful, angry, and upset. It is easy to complain and grumble, even to despair. It is easy to become distracted by it all, to lose focus, and fix our eyes, our faith, hope, and trust in the wrong things. Psalm 46 is a song of confidence and hope. It calls us to radical trust in God when we are faced with overwhelming threats. It calls us not to fear and to hold steady before dangers. Jesus is our Refuge because He is our Creator, the Sovereign Lord, and Immanuel, God with us. In the face of all that is happening, we should be still and know that He is God.

1.  Jesus Is Our Refuge

Verse 1 says that God is our refuge and strength; verses 7 and 11 that God is our fortress. A refuge is a place of security and safety. It provides protection from external attacks and dangers. Our refuge is not a physical structure or place, but God, the Most High, the Lord of Hosts. God is saying, “I am your refuge. You can come in to me. I will wrap my arms arounds you, and I will protect you. Nothing will touch you.”

God is our strength. He gives us strength for the moment, the power to endure through all circumstances. In Philippians 3:7-11 we will learn that when we are in Christ, we know Him and the power of his resurrection. God’s power that raised Jesus from the dead, that power is available to us and sustains us through any and all sufferings we may experience. 

We are anxious, even fearful about tomorrow, about what will happen next in our lives, in our country, in the world. But Jesus tells us, “…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mt. 6:33-34) The Word tells us also, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philip. 4:6-7) Jesus is our Refuge! He is also our Helper who is always present and found in times of trouble. God is with us and for us. God alone is our security. Therefore, we will not fear no matter what happens. Neither nature nor nations will scare us. Why can we be so confident?

2.  Jesus Is Our Refuge Because He is Our Creator

Jesus is Our Refuge because He is Our Creator. He created the whole universe. He rules over and controls nature. Chaos will not surprise or overtake him. He already overcame chaos in the beginning when he created the world.  Yes, natural disasters do happen. There are droughts, floods, earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, hurricanes, storms, tidal waves because we live in a broken, sinful world. And when we should find ourselves in the midst of these, we should take refuge in Jesus. We should pray. Even creation is groaning for and awaiting redemption and healing (Rom 8). The Lord gives us the strength to endure. He gives us grace and peace, confidence, and hope to persevere. 

3.  Jesus Is Our Refuge Because He Is the Sovereign Lord

We know that Jesus is our Refuge because he is the Sovereign Lord. And as the sovereign Lord, he is the Lord of history. He rules over and controls nations. Verse 4 speaks of the Most High. The Hebrew name, Elyon, emphasizes God’s supremacy as ruler and judge over the entire earth, over all of humankind. Verses 7 and 11 say that the Lord of Hosts, Yahweh of Hosts, is with us. This name speaks of God’s almighty military power. He is the Lord, the Commander of the armies of heaven and earth. Did Jesus not say that He can call on his Father, and he will at once put at his disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (Mt 26:53) And to Pilate, He said, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (Jn 19:11).

Nations and groups are in uproar today. They are all striving for their own selfish interests, making wars, committing terrible acts of violence, oppressing others. However, verses 8 and 9 calls us to come and see the works of the Lord. He makes wars cease. He destroys the weapons of war. We see God’s sovereign rule over all the nations in history. It may seem as if God is not in control now, but He is, and world history is moving to its foregone conclusion. Jesus the Sovereign Lord is coming. And when He comes, then the words of verse 9 will happen again, as has happened in the past when God acted in human history to destroy armies and nations. He fulfilled his promises and will do so again. When He comes back, and He is, He will transform this world into a new world without weapons of war, a world where God’s perfect peace rules.

Jesus the Sovereign Lord is our Refuge. But here is the question. Is He truly our only source of security? Or do we place our trust also in other things? Do we have backup plans for in case Jesus does not come through? What will radical trust in God look like? It’s easy to say these things—we believe, we trust, we take refuge in Jesus, but do our actions confirm our beliefs? We may look for security in money, jobs, education, guns, politics, governments—but all of these can be taken away in one moment. And then, where and with what are we left? 

4.  Jesus Is Our Refuge Because He Is Immanuel and the Living Water

Only Jesus is our refuge here and now, in this world, in this life. This Psalm speaks of the Lord’s presence with his people. He is not sitting on his throne somewhere in heaven observing from far away what is going on. No, He is here with us because He is Immanuel. Jesus promised that he will be with us always. All power and authority belong to him. And with all that power and authority he is with us always (Mt. 28:18-20). He is with us and in us through the Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth … for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you … You will see me. Because I live, you also will live” (Jn 14:16-19).

 We need to “become still” and “know” that Jesus is Lord. He is Immanuel! Ingram — ‘When the troubles of the world or threats of terrorism or economic doom cause you anxiety, Jesus says, “I am with you always.” When tensions at home and struggles with children threaten to overwhelm you, Jesus says, “I am with you always.” When baggage from your past produces such oppressive fear that you can’t take steps that you know are right and good, Jesus whispers in your ear, “Step out with me. I am with you always.”’

And when He is with us He gives us life, new, eternal life, because he is the Living Water. He gives us all we need for life. He is the source of all life and the provider of all our needs. The image of the river in verse 4 as living water is a key image in the Bible. We see it in Genesis 2, other Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel 47. Jesus speaks of himself and of the Holy Spirit as living water in John 4 and 7. And God’s Story, ends with the beautiful image of the River of Life in the new Jerusalem, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev. 22). And Jesus says, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Rev. 21:6-8)

5.  Jesus Is Exalted as Lord of Lords, King of Kings

And this brings us to the very important statement in verse 10 — “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The God of Jacob is the God of the covenant, who is faithful to his covenant promises. He will complete his mission that He began when He called Abraham to be a blessing for all nations. He fulfilled his promise of the Messiah by sending his Son, Jesus. And Jesus will come back, complete his mission, and He will be exalted among the nations and in the earth as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Remember Philippians 2:9-11 — Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

During these dark and crazy times of upheaval, confusion, and suffering, it is easy to become focused on self because that is the present and physical reality we are experiencing. Our health and wealth are threatened. Our comfort and happiness are disturbed. It is easy to become focused on the wrong things. People become preoccupied with the end times and all kinds of conspiracies theories. They seem to be more focused on the Antichrist, Satan, signs, and symbols, trying to predict when Jesus will come back. They take refuge in worldly powers, human institutions, and material things. They seek happiness in earthly things. Some believe and act as if it is their task to make the end times happen. Others withdraw from the world to wait out the end. 

We are living in the end times. We have been living in the end times since Jesus ascended into heaven. Our Lord and the Bible tell us to be ready always, all the time because He is coming back. How will He find us? Our work is not to look for the devil behind every bush. Our work is to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Our Lord wants to find us busy with his kingdom work. And that is to live the kingdom life and to make disciples. We are to live and work as the light of the world so that we can call people to the Light. 

Be still and know that I am God. Be still — let go, release. We must stop our raging, our frantic running around seeking refuge, happiness, and comfort in the wrong places. Be still, recognize and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. Be still, let go, and watch. This is his war, his battle. The Lord will fight it. He has already won the victory. 

Let us not take refuge in the things of this world. Let us not hide from the world. Let us not take refuge and hide in our churches. The church is not our refuge. Jesus is our only Refuge. Therefore, we will not be afraid to go out into the world, to live the kingdom life, and to make disciples. We will be his witnesses. We will make Jesus known. This must be the priority of every church, of every church member, of every pastor, of every believer. Yes, this will involve risk. We are sent out like lambs among wolves (Lk. 10:3). We will be persecuted, will be the laughing stock of the world. We will sacrifice and suffer much.

It will take courage, but we find that courage in Jesus Christ. In all this we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. He is our only refuge. He said, “I will never ever leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13: 5). He said, “And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20) 

Come and see, be still and know that Jesus is the Lord. He is the same God who created everything, who acted in the past, is acting now, who is in control of nature and nations. Our King is coming. He will rule and be exalted over all the earth as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Jesus is our Refuge.