“The eternal God is thy refuge.” — Deuteronomy 33:27
The word refuge may be translated “mansion,” or “abiding-place,” which gives the thought that God is our abode, our home. There is a fulness and sweetness in the metaphor, for dear to our hearts is our home, although it be the humblest cottage, or the scantiest garret; and dearer far is our blessed God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being. It is at home that we feel safe: we shut the world out and dwell in quiet security. So when we are with our God we “fear no evil.” He is our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge. At home, we take our rest; it is there we find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day. And so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life’s conflict, we turn to Him, and our soul dwells at ease. At home, also, we let our hearts loose; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of…
our words being misconstrued. So when we are withGod we can commune freely with Him, laying open all our hidden desires;for if the “secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him,” the secrets ofthem that fear Him ought to be, and must be, with their Lord. Home, too,is the place of our truest and purest happiness: and it is in God that ourhearts find their deepest delight. We have joy in Him which far surpassesall other joy. It is also for home that we work and labour. The thought of itgives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens the fingers to performthe task; and in this sense we may also say that God is our home. Love toHim strengthens us. We think of Him in the person of His dear Son; and aglimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer constrains us to labour in Hiscause. We feel that we must work, for we have brethren yet to be saved,and we have our Father’s heart to make glad by bringing home Hiswandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth the sacred family amongwhom we dwell. Happy are those who have thus the God of Jacob fortheir refuge!
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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen