Ps 91:2 I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"
My refuge - <machaceh> a shelter (literally or figuratively); hope, place of refuge, shelter, trust.
A refuge is a safe place. Something or someone we turn to for assistance and security; a shelter from danger or hardship (WordWeb). Think sanctuary or asylum. Places of protection and safety.
My fortress - <matsuwd> a net, or (abstractly) capture; also a fastness; castle, defense, fortress, stronghold, strong place.
A fortress is not only a place of safety but a place of strength. A stronghold keeps the enemy out. Fortresses were commonly built as defensive structures with weapons aimed and prepared to defend. Several years ago, I visited the ruins of Fort Jefferson. The picture below was taken while it was in active use.
One of America’s largest masonry-built buildings was designed in the mid-1800s to ward off pirates from the Gulf of Mexico shipping lanes. Located on Garden Key way out in the Florida Keys, past Key West, Fort Jefferson is made of more than 16 million bricks. It was a massive upgrade from the lighthouse that originally stood on this spot. The fort was in active use through the Civil War, mainly to house prisoners, but its thick walls weren’t as impressive by the late 1800s and it was abandoned as a fort. The structure was never fully finished, but the six-sided fort covers 11 of the 16 acres of land on the key and remains a tourist destination. Wikipedia.
Billions of dollars are spent in building structures for protection. Think military fortifications that are currently in use, secretive buildings that require the latest technology in identification for access. Is anything man-made immune from attack from an enemy? Consider 9-11 and the Pentagon. No matter how much money is spent or what technology is used, human kind is not impervious to attack.
But, where does the greatest source of infringement come from? From within. The same minds that work hard to think of ways to protect are the same minds that follow sin to the road of destruction and chaos. Intelligence can be used for good; it can also be used for evil. For attack. There are numerous weapons used for physical attack in war. Missiles, bombs, guns, grenades and, yes, even airplanes have been used as weapons. While many of us have been spared the experience of bodily harm from enemies, most of us can relate in one way or another to internal onslaught. Spiritual attack is often launched towards others from within. The use of spoken words, written words or stirring up hostility within a group are methods of attack commonly used by people. When this happens, where do you go? Who guards your heart, your thoughts, and your actions in response to attack?
Think again about a physical place of refuge. For all our efforts to provide physical protection, it eventually becomes outdated or wears out. No man made structure is completely impervious to attack. Buildings deteriorate, technology becomes old. What was once the best we have, now lays in ruins. Look at the pictures below of Fort Jefferson in July of 2009.
We do have an answer! It is not all futility. This is not a story of ho-hum humdrum, nowhere to go, wearisome thoughts. Rather, it is reminder of the exciting benefit we can have in Christ as our strength and security. The onslaught towards Truth is weak when met by God, our perfect and permanent refuge and strength.
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