God our Refuge for Boldness

​”Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.” – Psalm 71:3

Ladies, we love reading verses like this in the Bible, don’t we?  These words are sweet to our souls.  God is our rock, God is our refuge.  We enjoy the sense of security that they infer.  Today, I want to remind you that there is much more to our Refuge than just safety.  The security we find in God should embolden us in powerful ways!   Here are three points to keep in mind:

First, God as our rock.  God gives us a sure foundation, he is our bedrock to stand on.  Never shaken, never shifting, always solid. Once we are his, this rock is our home.  It provides for us a surety for life, we no longer have to wade in sand or sink in the muck.  It is a platform on which we can easily point to the gospel since Jesus Christ is truly the rock on which we stand.  Just as Isaiah prophesied (Is. 28:16) and Jesus proved.  “For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’” 1 Peter 2:6. 

This solid foundation provides a position of insight (a place of enlightenment) and visibility (we can see the world for what it is). Though we are protected, all eyes will be on us.  We are not sinking and struggling like those around us in the mud of the world; they will want to know why.  We can point to our Rock.

Secondly, God as our fortress.  An invisible fortress?  Yes, for now, but that makes it that much more powerful.  It is a spiritual fortress allowing us to love others without barriers.  We are able to serve like Jesus did with our hands and feet yet always under guard of the Mighty King.  So we can hug the lepers of society without a second thought.  We can serve the sick and minister to the contaminated.

We are never out from under the protection and authority of God.  Nothing can happen to us and no harm can come to us without his allowing it.  He commands and we can obey without fear.  It is no wonder his final words on earth were to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” with the reminder, “…behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19).  He is our fortress. 

Finally, knowing all of this causes us to proclaim the glories of God.  In this same Psalm 71, after the lyrics of God being a refuge, rock and fortress it continues on with verses like this: “My praise is continually of you.” (v. 6b) and “My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.” (V.8)  Another gem is found in Psalm 73:28b, “I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”  With understanding of who God is comes a verbalization to prove it.  You can’t be surrounded by an awe-inspiring God without speaking of his awesomeness.

What better location than a rock-solid, unbreakable fortress to proclaim the good news from!  It is no wonder God commands us to read his word so often; we need these reminders of our condition in him every day.  It changes the way we look at each person and each event in our lives.
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If we could comprehend the surety we have in Christ and the strength of the foundation of our God, nothing would stop us from proclaiming the gospel in this world.  So let’s try to do just that and comprehend our God a little more each day by reading his Word.  Becoming women with praise on our lips who boldly love those around us and serve with tenacity, all because we know our Rock will never fail.  Our Refuge of safety is also our Source of gospel boldness.