Welcome to Week 19 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
May 6
Yesterday, we considered a verse from "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." Charles Wesley begins that verse by singing, "Other refuge have I none."
Today we want to consider whether that statement is true of us.
Merriam-Webster defines "refuge" as "a shelter or protection from danger or distress" and as "something to which one has recourse in difficulty." What people, places, and things that meet (or have met) that definition in your life?
You'll need to begin by recalling times of danger, distress, and difficulty in your life. And then, with those times in mind:
In your prayer time today, talk with the Lord about the people, places, and things on the lists you have made.
Today we want to consider whether that statement is true of us.
Merriam-Webster defines "refuge" as "a shelter or protection from danger or distress" and as "something to which one has recourse in difficulty." What people, places, and things that meet (or have met) that definition in your life?
You'll need to begin by recalling times of danger, distress, and difficulty in your life. And then, with those times in mind:
- Make a list of what you have made your shelter from danger.
- Make a list of what you have made your refuge in distress.
- Make a list of what you have made your recourse in difficulty.
In your prayer time today, talk with the Lord about the people, places, and things on the lists you have made.
May 7
The Psalmist declared, "As for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." (Psalm 73:28 NIV)
The Psalmist's language, combined with Wesley's words from two days ago and your lists from yesterday, reminds us that the Lord is not automatically our refuge. He is our refuge by choice. We make Him our refuge, or we do not.
Talk to Him about the people, places, and things that you have chosen to make your refuge.
Talk to Him about your experiences of making Him your refuge.
Talk to Him about the relationship suggested by the Psalmist -- the connection between 'being near God' and 'making the Sovereign Lord my refuge.'
The Psalmist's language, combined with Wesley's words from two days ago and your lists from yesterday, reminds us that the Lord is not automatically our refuge. He is our refuge by choice. We make Him our refuge, or we do not.
Talk to Him about the people, places, and things that you have chosen to make your refuge.
Talk to Him about your experiences of making Him your refuge.
Talk to Him about the relationship suggested by the Psalmist -- the connection between 'being near God' and 'making the Sovereign Lord my refuge.'
May 8
The Psalmist declared, "As for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." (Psalm 73:28 NIV)
The Psalmist perceived a connection between these three things:
Talk to the Lord about your own experience of the connection between 'being near Him' and 'His deeds.'
Talk to Him about your own experience of the connection between 'making Him your refuge' and 'His deeds.'
Talk to Him about the connection between experiencing His deeds and telling about them.
The Psalmist perceived a connection between these three things:
- Being near God
- Making the Lord one's refuge
- Telling of all His deeds
Talk to the Lord about your own experience of the connection between 'being near Him' and 'His deeds.'
Talk to Him about your own experience of the connection between 'making Him your refuge' and 'His deeds.'
Talk to Him about the connection between experiencing His deeds and telling about them.
May 9
The Psalmist contrasts the fate of the wicked and the fate of the righteous. Then, after describing the downfall of an evil man, the Psalmist says, "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and was strong in his evil desire." (Psalm 52:7 NASB)
This verse reminds us of the earlier truths that (1) there are other refuges besides the Lord and (2) it's our choice in what or whom we will take refuge.
Beyond that, the Psalmist's wording also makes a connection between one's refuge and what one trusts in. The evil man's poor choice, you see, was not to make the Lord his refuge but to trust "in the abundance of riches."
Talk to the Lord about the lists you made a few days ago. In each case, converse with the Lord about whether that is a person, place, or thing in which you put your trust, and about whether that person, place, or thing merits your trust.
Finally, talk with Him about your patterns of taking refuge, and what they say about your trust in Him.
This verse reminds us of the earlier truths that (1) there are other refuges besides the Lord and (2) it's our choice in what or whom we will take refuge.
Beyond that, the Psalmist's wording also makes a connection between one's refuge and what one trusts in. The evil man's poor choice, you see, was not to make the Lord his refuge but to trust "in the abundance of riches."
Talk to the Lord about the lists you made a few days ago. In each case, converse with the Lord about whether that is a person, place, or thing in which you put your trust, and about whether that person, place, or thing merits your trust.
Finally, talk with Him about your patterns of taking refuge, and what they say about your trust in Him.
May 10
The prophet Jeremiah also called the Lord his refuge. "O LORD, my strength and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of distress... Do not be a terror to me; Thou art my refuge in the day of disaster." (Jeremiah 16:19, 17:17 NASB)
Jeremiah understands the need for a refuge as "the day of distress" and "the day of disaster."
What has been that day (or those days) for you? What has been your "day of distress" or your "day of disaster."
Remember those days with God.
Then talk candidly with Him about your experience of seeking and taking refuge on those days. Perhaps that leads you to confession. Perhaps it leads you to rejoicing and thanksgiving.
Jeremiah understands the need for a refuge as "the day of distress" and "the day of disaster."
What has been that day (or those days) for you? What has been your "day of distress" or your "day of disaster."
Remember those days with God.
Then talk candidly with Him about your experience of seeking and taking refuge on those days. Perhaps that leads you to confession. Perhaps it leads you to rejoicing and thanksgiving.
May 11
In Psalm 55, the Psalmist is experiencing great distress. He describes his condition, saying, "My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me." (Psalm 55:4-5 NASB)
Understandably, he goes on to express his desire to escape. "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest." (verse 7) And in the midst of giving voice to his need to escape, he exclaims, "I would hasten to my place of refuge." (verse 8)
Perhaps the Psalmist's expression of his condition and how he was feeling resonates with you. Perhaps you remember feeling that same way. Perhaps you are feeling that way now.
We may take his statement that he "would hasten to (his) place of refuge" as an indication of his desperation. But it is more than that. It is an expression of resolve. And as such, it is exemplary.
We have noted earlier that making the Lord our refuge is not automatic; it is our choice. And a candid review of our own behavior and experience will reveal that it is a choice that we sometimes make promptly and at other times we make it tardily.
In your prayer time, talk to the Lord about your own patterns. To what "place of refuge" do you tend to hasten? When have you hastened to the Lord as your refuge? When have you been slow to make Him your refuge? Talk to Him about the variety of your choices and experiences.
Understandably, he goes on to express his desire to escape. "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest." (verse 7) And in the midst of giving voice to his need to escape, he exclaims, "I would hasten to my place of refuge." (verse 8)
Perhaps the Psalmist's expression of his condition and how he was feeling resonates with you. Perhaps you remember feeling that same way. Perhaps you are feeling that way now.
We may take his statement that he "would hasten to (his) place of refuge" as an indication of his desperation. But it is more than that. It is an expression of resolve. And as such, it is exemplary.
We have noted earlier that making the Lord our refuge is not automatic; it is our choice. And a candid review of our own behavior and experience will reveal that it is a choice that we sometimes make promptly and at other times we make it tardily.
In your prayer time, talk to the Lord about your own patterns. To what "place of refuge" do you tend to hasten? When have you hastened to the Lord as your refuge? When have you been slow to make Him your refuge? Talk to Him about the variety of your choices and experiences.
May 12
As we conclude Week 19, we turn our attention to Michael Joncas' lovely song based on Psalm 91. The poet sings:
"You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in his shadow for life,
Say to the Lord: 'My refuge,
My rock in whom I trust!'"
Pray through the images of the song.
Lord, do I dwell in Your shelter? What does it mean? How does it feel?
Do I abide in Your shadow? What does that look like? How does one do it?
And then, bolstered by your enlarged thinking and understanding of the Lord as refuge, say to Him, "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!" Talk to Him about what that means to you now that you have devoted two weeks to meditating on Him as Refuge.
"You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in his shadow for life,
Say to the Lord: 'My refuge,
My rock in whom I trust!'"
Pray through the images of the song.
Lord, do I dwell in Your shelter? What does it mean? How does it feel?
Do I abide in Your shadow? What does that look like? How does one do it?
And then, bolstered by your enlarged thinking and understanding of the Lord as refuge, say to Him, "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!" Talk to Him about what that means to you now that you have devoted two weeks to meditating on Him as Refuge.