July 17th

You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. Isaiah 25:4

Due to their frail state, mankind has often looked for all types of refuge from their afflictions of poverty, need and shelter. There are the shelters inside our soul and the shelters outside our body. Too often we have sought those outside our body and not inside our soul. Man has been looking for a refuge for his soul, but he mostly searches for it in his physical environment. Our physical search for comfort and safety has distracted us from our spiritual search for refuge and shelter in God.

The Bible is stocked with mighty heroes who have learned to seek shelter in God first. The patriarchs and prophets are such men, who have learned to relate to the Lord in this manner.

This often came because of a time of desolation or dryness, but it resulted in a fruitful harvest of spiritual insight, understanding and knowledge. We need to also pursue our relationship with God and be in His Word to cope with the rugged and desperate times of our life.