The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 19:1-3,
"When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities."
The Lord provided a total of six cities of refuge for those to flee to if they had killed someone "without malice aforethought." While the refuge sought was for those who unintentionally killed someone, I am reminded the Lord has provided us a refuge even though we do not deserve it.
While most of us have never and would never kill someone intentionally, we all are nonetheless guilty of sin and worthy of God's judgement of us. And, yet, he has provided a refuge we can flee to in spite of our guilt.
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:5-8.
God has provided his Son, Jesus Christ, as a refuge for us to flee to, to find deliverance from God's own judgment of us for our sins.
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2.
All God asks of us is to embrace him in faith and he will provide his protection over us.
"In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, Lord, my faithful God." Psalm 31:1-5.
We do not want to face God's judgment of us on our own. We need a refuge to find our way into eternal life.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities."
The Lord provided a total of six cities of refuge for those to flee to if they had killed someone "without malice aforethought." While the refuge sought was for those who unintentionally killed someone, I am reminded the Lord has provided us a refuge even though we do not deserve it.
While most of us have never and would never kill someone intentionally, we all are nonetheless guilty of sin and worthy of God's judgement of us. And, yet, he has provided a refuge we can flee to in spite of our guilt.
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:5-8.
God has provided his Son, Jesus Christ, as a refuge for us to flee to, to find deliverance from God's own judgment of us for our sins.
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2.
All God asks of us is to embrace him in faith and he will provide his protection over us.
"In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, Lord, my faithful God." Psalm 31:1-5.
We do not want to face God's judgment of us on our own. We need a refuge to find our way into eternal life.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8.
Flee to the refuge God has provided for us today!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment