Prayerfully Trust
Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before him; for God is our refuge.” The exhortation here is simple: Trust God at all times. Trust Him in every circumstance and season. This exhortation is particularly applicable when we feel unsafe.
The greater context of Psalm 62 is the experience of danger. In verses 3-4 David cries out, “How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down – this leaning wall, this tottering fence? Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.” David felt that he was in danger and he responded by turning to God in prayer.
Prayer is trust in action. Trust in God looks like pouring out our hearts to him, holding nothing back. Trust is daily emptying all of our cares and concerns before God in prayer. There is no trouble that we cannot bring to the Lord. Jesus reiterated such when he taught his disciples how to pray.
Jesus prayed, “Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us of our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” With these concise petitions Jesus reminds us that our Father in Heaven cares about our cares, and in His Son’s name He hears us and comes to our aid. We should prayerfully trust God because He is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8 affirms that God is our refuge. A refuge is a safe place, a shelter. In the Midwest where tornadoes are common, many homes have dedicated storm shelters. When a tornado touches down a family can take refuge in the storm shelter, finding safety. Similarly, God is our true refuge. Safety from every harm is found in Him.
God’s safety is fully known in Jesus Christ his Son. From Jesus’s lesson on prayer we learn that physical and spiritual safety are gifts from God. Jesus also taught that our Father is making our world totally safe. The source of all danger is sin and Satan, but by his death and resurrection Jesus conquered both, guaranteeing that a new world is coming where danger will be no more. Indeed, doors will never need to be locked. We will be forever and totally safe with God.
This invites to pray in two ways. First, we should ask God to daily bless our family, community, and church with physical and spiritual safety. Second, we should petition God to grace the same with the knowledge of Jesus Christ through whom everlasting refuge is ours.
