Reverence and Awe

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

I really enjoyed the imagery that Spurgeon gave us with respect to the word refuge in this Morning's reading. That provoked me to go to the BLB and look up the root word for refuge in Gesenius's Lexicon. And the result made me chuckle. Gesenius also, specifically for Deuteronomy 33:27, uses the word asylum. Now Asylum has many meanings, one of them flew into my head. But, I thought I should take this a step further.

So I looked at Merriam-Webster for the definition of the word asylum. Here was their definition:

1 : an inviolable place of refuge and protection giving shelter to criminals and debtors: sanctuary
...
4 : an institution for the care of the destitute or sick and especially the insane

Now this I knew related to me. "For all have sinned..." (Romans 3:23). Prior to justification by faith, I was a debtor, a criminal according to God's Law. But now, after justification, He is my refuge. He has paid my debt. He has imputed His righteousness to me! Jesus is not a refuge for the perfect...He's a refuge for sinners, who come to Him by faith.

And apart from Christ I am destitute. Apart from Christ, I am nothing (maybe less than nothing), and can do nothing of eternal good.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."—John 15:5 NKJV

Thank You Jesus for being my refuge! Thank you for Your everlasting arms that shield me, protect me and keep me.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon