The LORD is his refuge
“Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.” (Psalms 14:6)
Psalm one divided the world of men as the godly and the ungodly. In this Psalm the division is the same, but one is called the poor and the other the fool. The ungodly men or the fools of the world, not only deny the existence of God, but they mock and ridicule the poor. But for the godly this is a badge of honor. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
The poor in spirit are the humble and they are humble by the grace of God. They recognize God as the Sovereign LORD over all, their Redeemer and lover of their soul. The LORD is their refuge when affliction, trial or temptation come. The poor in spirit long to be in HIS presence and to enjoy HIS truth. Genuine love has invaded their soul and they worship God. Humility is born from the knowledge of Creator God who is also Father God who sacrificed HIS Son for our benefit and blessing. They see the world of men in need of the grace of God and they pray for them. Their humility motivates them to express genuine love and concern for the ungodly who mock them.
A soul left to itself without the grace of God in operation loses the significance of life. We were made to know God and to enjoy HIM forever. This knowledge of God will impact our relationships giving them a depth and satisfaction that cannot be known or discovered outside of the grace of God. But the ungodly declare there is no God to be feared or known or honored. There is no judgement to come, therefore, we are free to pursue every desire of our heart. These are driven by power and wealth. They create divisions to divide and then to conquer. Divide by race, divide by mental and physical abilities, divide by perceived beauty, divide the winners and losers, deceive, divide, destroy, this is their faith.
The poor in spirit seek to embrace unity. They do not see skin color, they see sin problems, that can be resolved by the grace of God for HIS glory. They do not see babies as mistakes of no value, they see them as a direct creation of God made in HIS image to fulfill HIS eternal purposes. Therefore, these must be loved and protected. We are HIS hands and HIS feet. We pray, we give, we go, in obedience to the commands of God. If we are persecuted or shamed for our faith, we bear it for the promises of God are true.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)
We have the LORD. If we are mocked, we have the LORD. If we are rejected, we have the LORD. If we are poor, we are rich in Jesus Christ and HE shall spend the ceaseless ages of eternity revealing to us the exceeding riches of HIS grace in HIS kindness toward each one of us because of our relationship with Jesus Christ the Son of God. This is our faith.
