Editorial November 21, 1994 Issue

A refuge that transforms

Barbara M. Vining

Who doesn't seek refuge from an imperfect world? And who wouldn't like to see a better world as a result of finding that refuge?

The ninety-first Psalm in the Bible offers a comforting promise—refuge in God. What stories could this psalm tell of individuals who have found help in its words "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust"? (verses 1, 2) What stories could it tell of people who have discovered therein a core security in relation to their creator—a security that isn't dependent on human circumstances, but which provides a whole new view of life that enables them to carry on with new strength?

We find "the secret place of the most High" in our unity with our everlasting Father as His beloved spiritual offspring. This spiritual unity of God and man is the message Christ brings to human thought. The realization that we are inseparable from God, eternal Life and Love, especially touches our hearts when the instability of human circumstances closes in around us, because within that eternal union we know that our identity is perfect in the sight of God. This is a rock, a strong foundation for us to build on, and it has a transforming effect on our character—we find the strength to be patient and long-suffering, poised and Christlike. We like ourselves better, and we love others more unselfishly.

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