Psalm 11 - Four Thoughts Toward A Better Refuge

I'm going to invite you this morning to turn with me to Psalm 11 is where we're going to be together today in Psalm 11, and we're in a new series we're kicking off. I know we're calling this summer in the Psalms. Summer may not have officially started, but you don't need summer to officially start on the outside to have summer in your heart. Okay? And when during the summertime, one of the things that we typically like to do as a church is take some time to go through the Book of Psalms together. We take a few chapters from the Book of Psalms every summer I have this life dream to by the time I, I kick the bucket to have gone through the entire book of Psalms. So every summer we take some very purposeful psalms, and we go through that together. And this summer, if you're interested in knowing where we're going to go through some of them, I can remember, I can remember we have six psalms we're going to go through. So we're going through Psalm 11 today, Psalm 16, Psalm 102, Psalm 119, and then a couple more Psalms one in the 131 140. I can't remember the exact number that we're going through, but these Psalms are really important for us to learn what it means to worship God where we are in any season of life. One of the things I love about the Book of Psalms that makes it unique from any other book of the Bible is the rest of the Bible is really God communicating to us who he is and what that means for us in light of him, right? But the book of Psalms little unique in that it's man's response back to God.

It's certainly inspired, but it's man's response back to God. And really, this book has every chapter really is entering into a different season of life and teaching us how to worship in light of that. One of the reasons I love to go through Psalms, specifically in the summer, is because I realize in the summer, this is a time where a lot of travel typically happens within our homes. And so if I just do a series that kind of strings itself together, you might miss a piece of that. But the Book of Psalms is such that you can pick up any chapter out of the Psalms, and that chapter is holistic unto itself. And so we learn to engage in what that chapter is talking about in relationship to who we are in light of who God is, how we worship God. Teach me how to respond in the season of life that I'm going through. And Psalm 11, where we're going to be today, is one of those unique Psalms that particularly helps us in challenging times of life. In fact, when I read this Psalm, it reminds me of a of a time as a child when growing up in the East, I lived a little bit in a few different states in the East Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama.

Everywhere I lived, I feel like belongs. A part of it belongs to what is what is referred to as Hurricane Alley. If you've ever been to the East Coast, you'll notice that particular region of the East coast along the Appalachian Mountains and it's pronounced Appalachian. You incorrectly Appalachian people. All right, Appalachian Mountains. And when storms just rip through there, through Hurricane Alley, it goes up the gulf in between Texas and Florida, and you get some wicked, powerful storms that travel through there. And because of that, it dumps a lot of rain. I think it's one of the greenest places in all of the United States. In fact, when I first moved to Utah, one of the things that I had to get used to the desert, I wasn't used to that. I felt like I became a lizard for a minute and my body getting acclimated because I'm used to a lot of humidity. And here I move out west. And don't get me wrong, I love living in the desert. Like I will take no humidity and no bugs any day of the week. I know some of you living out here think there's bugs, but when you go to the East Coast you realize, oh, there ain't no bugs compared to how they're mosquitoes will pick you up and lift you away.

And in the East Coast, that's how that's how that works. But and one of the things that I missed is the green and even living out here, sometimes I would remark to it is I got used to living in the West like, man, I miss the green. And people would be like, man, Utah's green. And I'm like, you don't even know. Like, we're talking so green. You walk five feet in the forest and you disappear forever. That's how that's how green this area of the world is. But because of that, just some incredible storms come through. And I remember as a, as a little kid I when those types of thunderstorms would come past our home. There was a little bit about me at a young age where I was timid. I was intimidated by it, and I was timid because of it. And I remember because of the because of the way I was raised different points of my life. I had to live with my grandparents, and I remember about 7 or 8 years old, I was in second grade where this storm was coming in, and I had a dog during that time where anytime a storm came, it always cower and run. And me being a little kid, I just want to be with my dog and comfort my dog. And I would kind of take my emotion off my dog and being worried about that storm.

And one particular day, my grandpa called me out onto his porch. And I remember right before the storm comes in, he has me come to the front of the porch, and he points out this massive oak tree on his property. We this particular house that he had was right on the back end of a of a farm, and it had a lot of land to it. And there was this massive oak tree where the leaves were so big, it was bigger than the average size of someone's hand. And he said, son, look at this tree and watch its leaves as it turns over to bow down to God. And thanks for the rain. And sure enough, you know the barometric pressure. I don't know if any of you have ever witnessed this, but barometric pressure changes in the atmosphere and those leaves start to flip over. And it's very apparent because one side of the leaf is much darker than the other side. So when it flips over, it's a it's a lighter color. And so you sure enough, you see these leaves flip over and they start to sag under the weight of the moisture in the air. And it gives the appearance that it's bowing before God. And thanks to the rain. And as we're watching this, my grandfather then begins to step back because the storm is coming near.

And he sits down on his rocking chair on his porch, and he invites me to sit down with him. And, here I am, a kid that's somewhat timid by these wild storms. And he sits down and sure enough, the rain just starts to pour. And right after that you start to hear the thunder and the lightning rip through the sky. And in those moments, I remember looking over at my grandpa. Father. Because you first time you hear that as a kid, it kind of just frightens you a bit. It shocks you and you look at him and you kind of wonder how he's receiving this. And I look at him and I just remember his face was just full of peace and somewhat delightful and being able to experience the storm. And so as I'm looking at him, my composure starts to rest off of his composure. And before long I find myself really timid by this storm, but rather beginning to appreciate the experience. And it was. It was one of those storms where the wind starts to blow, and there's so much moisture in it that it just, it just kicks up that humid moisture, that kind of blushes or blows across your face and amidst of that breeze and I remember he was appreciating it so much, he even got up in the middle of the storm, and he and he goes to the front door and he yells at my grandmother inside, and he yells for her to fix us some hot tea, which grandma's hot tea.

And one of the things I love about that is she would fill it up with just a little bit of milk, but so much sugar you would become like a diabetic instantly. But as a little kid, I was a little kid. You just loved that. It wasn't about the tea. It was about all the sugar in that. Right? So here I am on the front porch, just enjoying this with my grandfather just looking at his composure and no doubt his comfort came from the idea that we're here. We are on a front porch under a shelter. Like if we had moved 15ft forward. We the way we were receiving that storm would have been much different. But because of that shelter, he had a certain amount of joy and just appreciating the storm around him. But because of how he was appreciating it, his composure, that really taught me to appreciate it. To the point now that when I go back east and I visit friends and family, which it's been a few years since I've been back East, but on my bucket list, as always, whenever the storm is happening, which it feels like it's every day in the East. But whenever that storm is happening, I'm going to find a porch somewhere, and I'm just going to sit down and appreciate the presence of the storm.

Though I find the comfort of protection. And when I share a story like that, I think it becomes very easy to see where we're going to go in a passage like Psalm 11. Psalm 11 is one of those stories that teaches us more than just taking comfort in the midst of an actual storm, but really answering for us the question, how do I learn to take refuge in just the storms of life? How is it that I can learn to navigate in the uncertainty of the moment? Find, find my composure and the composure of who God is? As David is writing Psalm 11, people have speculated as to what moment in David's life led him to write this Psalm. Some have suggested that it could have been that time period in David's life that you find in first Samuel, starting in chapter 18, to really about chapter 27, where David has been anointed as king of Israel, but he hasn't assumed the throne yet. And. Instead, there is another king ruling over Israel, whose King Saul and King Saul hates David to the point that he's pursuing David, trying to take his life. And so some think out of the difficulty of that storm of life. That's what led David to write the psalm. And it could be other people have speculated, well, if it's not that it could.

It could come from second Samuel and starting about chapter 15, the next three chapters that follow where David's son Absalom assumed his the throne of David, he overthrew David, and he temporarily takes the throne of David. And David had to flee from Jerusalem. And so during that time where his son betrays him. Perhaps it's in that season of life that Psalm 11 is written. What ever it is, David, David is at a place in his life where he doesn't even know if he can trust the people around him. And so this Psalm is written. But, when I read this Psalm, the mystery of the historical setting to David's life is one of the reasons, I think that we might appreciate the Psalm a little bit better, because rather than get wrapped up in the history of what might be happening to David in order to lead to this Psalm, it brings us to this place, almost enter directly into application, meaning it's great that I think David finds what he finds in this psalm. But the psalm, even greater than that is intended through through David's life to then teach us how we can compose ourselves in the midst of the storm. So today, as we look at Psalm 11, this is exactly what we're going to talk about for thoughts toward a better refuge. Finding confidence when life feels unstable.

Now when you come to a Psalm like this, there is there is a reminder that for me, as I studied, I needed to say to myself, and maybe it's important for you to hear too, because I have this tendency and this might be you, that when I hear things like God is my refuge, which you'll see this in verse 11 immediately describes God this way. When I hear that God is my refuge, I typically categorize it like this I am so thankful that God is my refuge, so that when the time of my life comes where I'm going through a difficult situation, I can pull that off the shelf and apply it to my life, right? So when I when I think about God being a refuge, I sort of assume it for that time in which things get a little bit hard and then I can experience God as my refuge. But I want you to know that that's not the way God is communicated to us and being a refuge through Scripture. Rather, when God is described as a refuge, it's referred to not just about a refuge in a storm, but rather a refuge for all of my life. Meaning if I if I want to experience God as my refuge in the storm, it's critical in the moments where I'm maybe not in that storm to understand what it means that God is my refuge in all things, so that when the storm arises, my composure is taken from his composure and it doesn't change who I am.

My circumstances don't dictate me, but rather my God in whom I put my trust. So when you read about the idea of God being a refuge, you can pay attention to that. Sometimes the idea of refuge is expressed in a season of difficulty, which is important for us to know. But the way that it's often written and referring to God is a refuge is to simply help you understand that he is that regardless if you realize it or not, he is that always present refuge in our life, whether it's a storm or just a beautiful day. God is our refuge. In fact, if I if I read just a verse to you in Psalm 62, verse eight, it says this trust in him at all times. You people pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. As you look at Psalm 11, you're going to discover that as David is teaching us what it means to experience God this way, he's doing it from two different vantage points. Verses one to verse three, David has an example of someone who is finding refuge in something else to then help us think through whether or not we're finding God as our refuge in verses 4 to 7. So two different types of people that are described here. Four thoughts Toward a Better Refuge.

Let me give you point number one in your notes, and we'll begin to read this. Number one is this a crisis doesn't create faith. It reveals it. A crisis doesn't create faith, it reveals it. You know, one of the things the storms of life can help us discover is where we truly put our hope. And let me just say, if you wait for a crisis to discover that sometimes that's a little bit late. Now, no doubt it's not until we get to a hard place where we're humbled in that circumstance that we might even begin to look for how the Lord can minister to us in those moments, and so we can be thankful for difficult things that lead us to the Lord in that way. But a crisis has this tendency of shaking that foundation for us to question, what is it I'm really resting in? Right. So a crisis doesn't create the faith. Rather it reveals it. Meaning you don't want to put your hope in a crisis in and of itself. That's not what sustains you, but it becomes this source of provoking us to consider where we really trust our lives or entrust our lives toward. And in Psalm 11, the first three verses starts this way. David says, in the Lord I take refuge. Notice again David's not saying, and only when the storm comes, he's just saying, this is the posture of my life.

His composure determines my composure. So this is the basis for which I step forward in anything. And though the storm may be around me, it doesn't change who I am. This is what David is saying in the Lord I take refuge. And now you're going to see where David then gets advice from. Maybe we can call him friends. I don't know, but it's not good advice. So he has people around him that are that are giving him a word. And it's not a biblical word. And so it says this. And the Lord, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, flee like a bird to your mountain? For behold the wicked bend the bow. They have fitted their arrow to the string. To shoot in the dark at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? I mean David in the midst of the storm. I mean, what really is my strength capable of that? That God can't do more of? And because God's great, he's beginning to point out to. Why would I behave like he's not? Because the advice his friends are giving him, whether whether it's Absalom that's betraying him, or Saul that's trying to kill him or. Or maybe even a different circumstance. What they're saying to David is you better run away. Change your identity. New alias. Don't even come back here. I mean, it would not end well, for.

That's the kind of encouragement David's getting. Just. Just go. Right. Just get out of here and don't. Don't tell anyone where you're going. Just become a nobody. Hide. Right. That's the kind of advice that David is getting in this story. And David's asking the question, why would I let my circumstances dictate who I am? Because when you understand who God is, then it helps you understand who you are. And so this crisis that David is going through, it's solidifying where his hope is. But David is identifying for us in these first three verses that we all have this tendency to respond in difficult times, that helps us put a, put a magnifying glass on what we're really putting our hope or trust in. So adversity has this way of revealing to us where our ultimate hope lies. And as human beings apart from the Lord. Typically we walk one of two roads. We either take this road of passivity where we want to just kind of ignore it, pretend like it's not there. We don't really want to deal with it because we don't understand how the gospel helps us deal with it. Or we take this path of being aggressive, meaning we want control. Sometimes that's when anger lashes out and sometimes we get really, we're really creative. We do both. We become passive aggressive, right? We're like, I don't even know. I could take both of these roads and see which one works out for me.

But in both of those situations, what we're depending on is a whole lot of self. And what David is teaching us in this story is that there's a better path for all of us in learning how to compose ourselves as we rest our hope in who he is, Our composure. Based on his composure and the shelter he brings us in the storm. And so David is he's revealing to them how this crisis is drawing out from them a place that they are putting their hope. And it's not the place we're intended to. Because ultimately, in your own strength, those things don't fulfill so that he can get to point number two, which is this. Remember who rules. Remember who rules. As David goes on in this Psalm, he's encouraging us. Don't respond by trying to rule, but rather by following the lead of the one who does. You know, if the next verse in this psalm was David describing God beside himself, like, oh my gosh, guys, there's a storm. I don't know what to do, right? There's this certain panic in the Lord and how he's looking at David's circumstance. Then we should be worried ourselves, right? Because we would take our composure from his composure. And if God, who is supposed to be sovereign of all of a sudden is a surprised or shocked or worried or concerned that should be the posture of our life, because if he doesn't have this, then we certainly don't have this.

But what does David do? He reorients himself to the situation and the one who's in control. And in verse four you see that as David says this, the Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes. His eyes see. His eyelids test the children of man. So here's what he's saying is, look, guys, I have no reason to be concerned in this moment because God isn't absent from ruling and God is sitting on his throne. He didn't just leave suddenly, but rather he's on the throne. And more than that, he is aware of everything that's happening. So his eyes are saying, his eyes see. So he's certainly aware and even more than just being aware, he is aware of what's happening in my life, the situation that's going on in our circumstance, particularly concerned with you and me. His eyelids test the children of man. He's saying he's looking towards us. And so when you think about the situation that we are going through, whatever that storm might be, it's to begin to temper ourselves and how we walk through that moment by taking our posture, not from the chaos of the storm. But from the sovereignty of the one who rules and the shelter that we find ourselves in through him.

And sometimes there are people in life that go through difficult times and they try to understand their circumstance by making a judgment of God that becomes dangerous to their own ability to go through that circumstance, that storm. And what I mean is this sometimes people might hear that, well, God is sovereign. And their conclusion will be, well, if God's sovereign, I'm going through this difficult time, then there's only 1 or 2 things in their mind that he's not good or he doesn't care, because if he's sovereign, he would do something about it. But if he's if he's good and he hasn't done anything about it, then he's not sovereign because he would have acted on my behalf. And so there's this way that we go through storms that we need to understand, the heart of God in it becomes critical for us because just because he's sovereign, just because he's ruling on his throne, as David is saying, what's important then to understand is what does that mean for me in light of that? Because he can be completely sovereign. But if you don't have a position in him and he's not good, then there's still no hope for that for you. But you've got to start with a basis of he is an in control. He is that sovereign authority to then be able to find the spot of how you can rest in it.

And so this is where David is starting for us to remind us of the greatness of God. Remember who rules so that we can get to point three. A tested faith refines and enduring faith. Attested faith refines and enduring faith. Storms have that tendency in our lives to help us examine where we are in our heart, our trust before the Lord. I mean, maybe we could ask ourselves even this morning in terms of our own faith, thinking about the storms that were going through in life. All of us have storms in life. And sometimes, sometimes those storms feel stronger than others. But whether that storm is off in the distance or it's near you, we all have storms in life. We're constantly going through some degree of a storm. It's on the horizon or it's just right over top of us. There's always this storm, but learning how we respond in that storm is becomes this place of helping us examine what we're really wrestling. Am I taking my posture and panic to the circumstance, or do I take my composure from the one who rules upon his throne? And so the storm has this way of testing our faith and refines us for an enduring faith. And we could ask this morning, how might your life look different right now if you really believe that God is in control? How might your life look different right now if you genuinely believed God knows right where you're at? God knows exactly what you're going through and God cares about you.

Taking our composure from his composure, his position is critical for the life of the believer to understand what it means that God is my refuge. Because regardless of the storm is before me or not, that determines who I am. A tested faith refines an enduring faith. And this is what David says. Look, the Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked. And the one who loves violence. Let him rain coals on the wicked. Fire and sulfur and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. Now we'll deal with the idea of God's judgment in just a minute. You know, and David is saying, I don't want to walk the path of someone who's faithless, because I know where that leads. It leads to destruction. Rather, he's reminding himself the Lord tests the righteous. And this is important for us to think about, really, what this test is and what it means to be righteous in the Lord. And there's all kinds of different tests you can take in life. Like there's the idea of a test that you can take that's pass or fail. And the whole goal is you just take the test and you're worthy of it or not. Right. Like, if you pass good, you get whatever that test is about. If you fail.

Sorry, sucker, you're out of here. There's a pass fail kind of test. And there are teachers in life that that's the only kind of test they want to give you, right? They just want you to feel like you're successful or you're a failure. But then there's other kinds of tests that are that are healthy for the soul. And those are the kind of tests that just they're not about failing you. They're about helping you examine where you are in light of something. Right? Like, you could go to a doctor and take a blood pressure test. Blood pressure test is not about pass or fail, right? It's like it's about you learning the state of your health so that you can do something about it and improve the longevity of your life, right? That's a great test to have. Understanding where you're at in that way. It's just this examining of your heart in the midst of a, of a circumstance. And when we go through trials of life, that's what they become for us. Is this place of me realizing where my heart is in light of who God is. Because God's concern is for my heart. God's desire is that I find refuge in him. And it's not until we go through experiences sometimes that awaken us to that where we can say, yeah, my life is resting in him right now, or no, I'm not near to Jesus the way that I desire to be.

And you see this from the beginning of Scripture. I mean, all the way back from the Garden of Eden. Do you remember the question God asked Adam and Eve in the. As Adam and Eve were running from God, he said, where are you, Adam and Eve? Right after they sinned, they took off hiding in the garden and God asked that question, where are you? Not because God didn't know. God knows where they were. God. God hasn't lost sight of anybody, ever. God. God is completely aware of all things and especially where you are. But the reason God asked that question is because God wasn't Adam and Eve to pause to recognize where they were. Because here they were running either passively or aggressively, and God wanted them to stop in their tracks and just take this heart of humility before his presence. So God poses that question. Now, let me just say this that it is true. Difficult things we go through in life can become a test to the soul, not a pass or fail test, but a test to examine. Like what? What really is my hope in? But sometimes when we come alongside of a friend going through that storm, we should not say things like, oh, God's giving you that test because he knows you're stronger than me. Right. Like that's just not a very compassionate piece of advice to give to anybody.

I think I think what's important is just to come alongside of them and help them reorient how the heart of God is with them in all seasons, just to love them where they're at, as Jesus would love them. And that's what these opportunities become for us is to experience and learn. Okay. How does how does the gospel, how does my relationship with the Lord impact me in the circumstance in which I found myself? Because I don't want to let the circumstance dictate who I am, but rather the greatness of my God who rules from his throne. And when we go through adversity, it gives us that place. I mean, if you're if we're honest with what life is, it's not about just one test. And I've learned it. It's the series of tests that we learn again and again of how to find our life acclimated in the greatness of who God is because of what he's done for you and for me. Which is why it's important to understand this word righteousness. What does it mean to be righteous? God tests the righteous, right? Because from a from a religious standpoint, we would say it like this. Well, if the storm is going to come, I better do a bunch of nice things so I can be on God's good side so that when bad things come, he he'll do nice things for me. So I gotta do this performance based identity in order to avail myself to God.

And that's when the Bible talks about righteousness. When we talk about righteousness in the gospel, that is not biblical righteousness, but rather understanding biblical righteousness not only helps us take comfort in our position in him, but it also helps us deal with the idea of what it means to be the one that's described as wicked, because that's a that's a very sobering statement. But David's saying this, he's saying, look, I'm going to keep walking my identity with God and not worry about following the path of the wicked or taking a different course in my life, because I don't want to belong to that, because I know where that path leads. And I have a far greater identity in the righteousness of the Lord rather than in the path, anything, any, any path this world can offer me. And so in terms of understanding, wickedness and righteousness has everything to understand about understanding who you are in light of who God is. In fact, maybe this morning asking to yourself, to which camp do I belong? Have I given my life to the Lord, or am I walking a path opposed to him? As Scripture gives us multiple places that shares with us what it means to find our identity in the Lord and therefore have righteousness. And if I give you one Colossians one verse 21, it says this. This includes you who were once far away, far away from God.

You were enemies separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. I mean, if you read Scripture, the Bible describes all of us this way. We are all enemies of God at some point. Now, hopefully you found your place in Jesus and have been reconciled to God. But we're all enemies of God because all of us are sinful. And because of that, we're opposed to the holiness of God. And so he's describing our nature apart from God. We are in the place of his wrath because of that. And verse 22, yet now he has reconciled you to himself. He's given you a new position in himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are a holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. And here's what it's saying is your righteousness is not based on what you do, but it's based on what Christ has done in your behalf. And the reason you can lift your head high today is not because of your performance, but because of Christ's performance on your behalf. The cross of Christ becomes this beautiful place where the wrath of God and the grace of God is poured out for you and for me. So when people think about the judgment of God, it's critical to begin with understanding the basis that it's not God who brings the judgment, but rather it's us against him.

It's us who are violators of his law. It's us who become enemies of the Lord by breaking God's commandment. God's law. Right. And because of that, we through first shot. And God's response to that unholiness is to do who what God is. I mean, God is a holy, just God, and he clearly tells us in Scripture he will judge sin. And the reason he does that is because he's a good God. Not only a good God would uphold the judgment against unholiness. And so when God brings his judgment, it's not this petty vindictiveness. It's rather him acting out of his good nature, his just nature. God being who God says he is and faithful to that. Now some people, when they see the judgment of God, they balk at it. Don't like it? Want to run? Run away from it. And they say things like, well, that's Old Testament. God, I don't like Old Testament God. You know, he's a he's a holy God, full of wrath. And so I don't like Old Testament God. I like New Testament God. But for you as a church, here's what I know. You just went through the book of revelation, right? Like, Old Testament God, New Testament God. That's the same God, right? And if all you do is emphasize the love of God without the justice of God, it's just flattery.

There's no strength in that. Because in order to truly experience the love of God, you need to know the justice of God works in your favor because without being able to execute his justice, he's nothing more than just a wimp. But the other side of that, the justice of God without his love, that's incredibly harsh. And so we need to understand not just who he is and his composure, but then who we are in light of him. And this is what it's saying to us. Psalm 11 and Colossians one. It's encouraging you to find your identity in the Lord so that you are secure in him as a refuge. No matter the season of life that you're going through, to understand your posture apart from God, so that you run to Jesus and you embrace the grace of God as the justice of God was poured out on Christ for you and for me. God rescue me. God be my shelter. God free me in you that I would have this new identity. In Romans five eight it says this, but God shows his love for us. And while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. Much more now, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life? So when talk in terms of righteousness, it's critical for us to understand that this righteousness is received by God's grace, that I can be invited into him as a refuge, not because of my performance, but Christ performance on my behalf.

So that point number, number, have I given you three? Okay. Number four. Being covered in Christ brings security in the storm. Being covered in Christ brings security in the storm. And this is where David ultimately finds himself. He rests in this promise as him going through the storm. It could make me timid. It could make me fearful. It could try to influence the way I behave and how I live. But I already know who I am because I know who he is and his composure. He's ruling from the throne. And in that he has called me his own. He sees me and has declared me righteous because of who he is. And so as I move through the difficulty of life, it will not determine who I am.

And I will not walk in fear because I know who I am. And so David says it like this in Psalm 11 verse seven, for the Lord is righteous, and he loves righteous deeds, and the upright shall behold his face. You belong to him. You will be with him. You will see him because he is yours. This is encouraging us faith over fear. God's sovereignty and justice. Holding on to him. The that the upright endure. Not because we're flawless, but because. Because we're secure in him.

As I think about this story, and I'll just close with this, there's one one particular story that reminds me of the really the idea of what it means to find God as a refuge, and especially if you're an anxious person, if you're a worrier in life, one of the things that's interesting to think about this might make you a little more anxious for a minute, but don't worry, I'm going to give you a good story here in the end.

Sometimes we get anxious and worked up over the storms that we're seeing in front of us, right? Like, oh my gosh, I don't know how we're going to get through this. And we got to learn in that moment what it means to find my identity in the gospel. But just think about this anxious person for a minute. How many storms you're not even aware of that God has graciously protected you in, and you start thinking about that. You're probably in life just experiencing a fraction of the things you could be anxious about. There's probably many more things in your life that you could just worry. Now, for those that like to get anxious, you may not even consider that now, right? And you feel like finding a corner and start rocking back and forth. It's just like, oh my word. Like, if God gave us what we deserved, can we just say this morning that is not here, not now. All we deserve is people as the judgment of God, the wrath of God.

He owes us nothing but the fact that we even have the opportunity to talk about a relationship with the Lord is a gift of his grace to find a new identity in him that is a gift of his grace. And there's a particular individual named IRA Sankey. He was a famous hymn writer, singer, composer in the 1800s. He died early 1900s. One of the things that IRA was famous for was going around with D.L. Moody when he would do these evangelistic campaigns, preaching to crowds. And he would lead the music for the congregation as they would sing at these at these rallies or campaigns that he would do in the Lord. And D.L. Moody traveled the world doing this. And you see an illustration that was from a newspaper of D.L. Moody preaching. You see his hand in the air and you see IRA Sankey there, off to the side with a I don't know if it's an organ or a piano, but whatever he's playing, he's playing something that looks like an organ. He's playing that and leading in worship. And one of the things that IRA Sankey, in doing this, he became very popular. And on one particular day in the early 1970s, he was traveling by steamboat, and a family on the boat recognized him because his picture had appeared in the newspaper that week, and they went up to him and they asked him to sing one of his hymns and rather than sing one of his hymns, he's a little bit humbled by that.

He asked if he could sing a hymn instead by a man named William Bradbury called Savior like a Shepherd lead us. And there was one particular line in the song that said, we are yours. Be a friend to us. Be the guardian of our way. And as. As IRA Sankey sang that song, there was another individual in the boat that heard him. And when he got to the end of the song, he immediately walked up to IRA and he said, were you ever in the military? And IRA said, yes. And he said, did you ever fight for the North in the Civil War? And IRA said, yes. And he said, when you fought, were you ever stationed in this in a particular location? And IRA said, yes. He said, well, did you ever get called upon to be a night watchman at a particular post in the middle of the night? And Iris said, yes. And my man said, that's interesting, because I too was in the Civil War. But I fought for the South, and there was one night where the moon was fully shining in the sky. It was a full moon. And I actually snuck up to your camp, and I came across a young man standing post in the middle of the night, and I got so close to him that I began to raise my gun, and I realized I was about to take his life.

And when I began to raise my gun toward you, and I had you right in my sights, all of a sudden you nailed kneeled before the Lord, and you began to sing that song. And when you got to that line where you said, we are yours, be a friend to us, be the guardian of our way. It reminded me of my mother, who also was a woman of faith, who used to sing this hymn to me. And suddenly that gun pointed at you became incredibly heavy, and my arm went limp, and I couldn't pull the trigger. And your life that night was spared. And IRA, in that moment recognized the gracious hand of God that gave him the opportunity to then go on and do this kind of ministry around the world. Guys, when you think about the Lord being a refuge, there are certain times in life where we experience it, but there are many times in life where we're not even aware of just how gracious God is. Following God as a refuge is not about, just that time in life where we go through a difficult thing, but realizing he is that for us all the time. My composure based on his composure because he is always that refuge.