In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain.’ (Psalm 11:1) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, better known as the Shah of Iran, fled from his home country in January 1979 as it sunk into bitter revolution. For the next 18 months, he was a hunted man who moved from place to place, from country to country for safety. He never found a place of permanent refuge and died a fugitive. King David knew what it was like to be a fugitive. For almost seven years he fled the murderous pursuit of King Saul. Many years later he would flee for his life from his son Absalom who tried to steal his kingdom from him. Yet, it was this same David who wrote the words, of the verse above. David would not flee. He had found his refuge in God. This causes us to consider the question: “When things get difficult, where do you flee to? Where do you take refuge? I work in a rehabilitation centre where I meet people who, for many years in some instances, found refuge in substance abuse and alcohol. The pain was numbed, the memories of past trauma dimmed….at least for a while until the effect wore off and the process began all over again. Here are other much sought out ‘places’ of refuge:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) I once read the following comment: “God’s business is putting things right and setting us straight. So, why run?” Why flee to another mountain? Spurgeon summed up the position of man beautifully when he said: “I have a great need for Christ. I have a great Christ for my need.” So, before you ‘phone a friend’ or binge on Netflix why not stop, give God a chance, make Him your “go to”. Pauline Ann Anderson
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