by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Finding Christ to be Our Refuge

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

Colorado Springs is known for its hail storms. People I know have not only suffered hail damage from one storm but multiple storms. Most roofs don’t last the years for which they are rated. If a twenty year roof makes it 15 years you got your money’s worth.

It’s also dangerous to park your car out in the open. It’s not unusual to see cars with hail damage roaming the streets. You can get a good deal on a vehicle if you don’t mind dents in your car’s finish.

“God is our REFUGE and strength, a very present help in trouble.” 
Psalm 46:1 English Standard Version

It’s not fun to be caught in the storms that come our way. The psalmist paints the image of God being our refuge from these storms. He is the One to whom we can run and find shelter.

Let’s talk about these storms for a moment. It’s funny how today we name all the major storms, not just hurricanes. As I write this blog, winter storm Gail is about to slam into the Northeastern portion of the United States. Does naming a storm make it more personal?

We may not give our personal storms human names, but we do like identifying what we’re going through. No matter if we name our storms or if they remain ambiguous, God is our refuge when we face them.

We can’t expect society to protect us from these storms. In fact, society may be a contributor to the ferocity of our storms. We will not find help in addictive behavior either. The only refuge that protects us is the One who faced our storms on his cross.

Jesus was exposed to all the sin and brokenness of our stormy world as he hung on his cross. Through his abandonment, we have a place of refuge, a place where we can hide when our storms rage around and in us.

May you find Christ to be your refuge in whatever storm you are facing today.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado