The youth was haplessly meandering around for something to do when he met a group of unpleasant adolescents kicking stones near the border of the province. When they caught sight of him, they began calling him names and taunting, “Who are you, foreigner? Scram, you dull-headed minikin, before we make you!” The youngster had done nothing more than wander too far, but the unfriendly youths decided to teach him a lesson. They beat him with sticks, bruised him with stones, and battered him with scraps that lay nearby. The boy then ran away, crying loudly, “I am going to tell my father!” 

“What is he going to do?” said the unruly gang, as they cackled and chuckled. “He must have been a real fopdoodle to run all the way home to his father!” Moments later, the gang of troublemakers heard the thumping of approaching hooves and looked up to see a towering figure riding toward them. When he halted before them, they were intimidated by his golden sash, purple robe, and crown of jewels. He bellowed angrily, “Now, which one of you has been messing with my son?” The gang then quickly abandoned their rocks, fled for their life, and never bothered the youth again because they had made a mockery of the king’s son.

It’s not such a bad thing to flee from a fight when you are under the protection of a king! David understood this when he wrote: “In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain?”” (Psalm 11:1, KJV). David’s enemies mocked him because he trusted in the Lord and fled to His comforting presence, as a bird flies to a mountain for refuge. But that’s hardly a taunt—a mountain is the safest sanctuary for a little bird! Indeed, the Lord is a mountainous shelter for all of His people who seek salvation, security, and sanctuary.

Thus, you can find refuge from angry attackers in the arms of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). You will obtain solace from stressful suffering in the God who is a shelter from storms (Psalm 57:1). When you run for refuge to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, you will receive protection from the roaring lion, the devil, (Rev. 5:5; 1 Peter 5:8; James 4:7). If you are a child of the King by faith in Christ, the best place to run from troubles and the troublesome is to your Father (Psalm 149:2). Therefore, dear saint, take refuge in the Lord and resound the words of Psalm 18:2, which says, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.