November 29, 2014

Running to the Refuge {Day 29}: Refuge Wrap-up

Hi, friends!  Welcome to the end of the Running to the Refuge series.  This is the place where I feel I am supposed to say something profound to leave you thinking for days.  Not sure I have that, but I can give you a summary of the series and trust the Lord will give you something good to chew on.




First thing: Running to the Refuge is simply trusting in the Lord.  We run to the Refuge when we acknowledge that God is what we need and all we need.  We run to the Refuge when we turn to God and forsake all other gods.


Now, let's take a tour of where we have been over the past four weeks!  Each week had its own special theme with sub-topics:

  • Week one, God is a Refuge of God is the best refuge because He is eternal, He saves, He loves us, He is strong, He delivers, and He is faithful.  I began with this theme, because running to the Refuge is easier when we know the Refuge is trustworthy and able to protect and shelter us.  God is!

  • Week two, God is a Refuge from enemies, trouble, danger, judgment, death, and shame.  This week's theme brought me to the conclusion that "God is a refuge from all that might assail us physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally."  (quote from Day 17)
  • Week three, God is a Refuge in weariness, uncertainty, grief, loneliness, the mundane, and sin.  When we are in the depths of the realities of life this side of heaven, God is our Refuge in every circumstance.  I only hit on a few, but hoped that this week of posts got you thinking about how God is a Refuge in every imaginable situation.
  • Week four, God is a Refuge unto praise, blessing, testimony, thanksgiving, and growth.  We don't run to the Refuge and hunker down until heaven.  Nope!  God has great things for us to be and do under His care.  Our sure and safe position with our Refuge frees us to worship, grow, and minister.



I wish I could say reading through this four-week study means we've all been able to master running to the Refuge!  I can't.  But I can say this, as I did on day 20:

If anything has been strengthening my faith from this study, it is a broader view of how complete a refuge God is because of how richly, deeply, tenderly, and abundantly He loves me.  Loves you.  Loves all who trust Him.

God is a complete refuge.  He hems us in before and behind, above and below, and He trains and equips us to live as restored refugees!  In running to the Refuge we receive more than we could ask for or imagine, so we can give more than we ever thought we could.


My hope and prayer is that these four weeks have strengthened your faith and intensified your resolve to run to the Refuge from start to finish of every day.  May God bless and keep you as you do.  He is able!


*     *     *     *     *


Don't neglect to get your name in to win these two lovely Refuge-reminders
by leaving a comment on today's post or this one!


4 comments:

  1. Hi Heather. Count me in. It has been a very good series. Thank you for all your work & sharing. Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're in, Jan! Thanks for your constant words of encouragement and 'likes' on FB. :)

      Delete
  2. I have enjoyed your writings and am blessed through your wisdom and teachings. Thank you. Carla

    ReplyDelete