Notes on Hope Devotional
Preservation and Protection
Psalm 73:28 (CSB)
But as for me, God’s presence is my good.
I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I can tell about all you do.
Turning the calendar to another year, there’s a sense of arrival in a new space. We can take a deep breath, consider where we’ve been, and set our sights on what’s ahead. Reflecting over the past year offers perspective on where we are now.
Today’s verse is the final verse in this chapter, where the Psalmist, Asaph, is lamenting and asking God questions, like, “Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?” (v. 13 CSB)
In verse 25, he asks, “Who do I have in heaven but you?”
These are good questions that ultimately lead him to a conclusion in the last verse of this Psalm. It’s like he finally comes to a spot and says, “Wait,” there’s more. Whenever we begin a sentence with a but, you can be sure we are making an important point. Asaph knows something. He is certain that God’s presence is his good thing. He has made the Lord his refuge. Recently, my pastor spoke on what a refuge is: “Refuge is a place to preserve our wholeness.” Whoa!
When we know God as our refuge, we are secluded, surrounded, protected, and preserved. It’s where we experience true wholeness in body, mind, soul, and spirit. This place of refuge is where we experience fulfillment, satisfaction, and true intimacy with God. And there’s more.
Because of our position, our place of protection and preservation, we get to announce all God has done for us. It’s like finding a treasure in a cave. We can’t keep it to ourselves but have to tell somebody. A refuge is a place for you and God. However, what happens in that space is worth telling others. It’s not just about us. It’s for us, but needs to be shared. Children love to tell on one another to a parent so they will know. “But Mom, this is what happened.”
Once we’ve experienced our time in our refuge, we get to “tell on” God. We can’t not tell.
It’s part of the beauty of finding our refuge in the Lord.