SCRIPTURE: The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:9-10 ESV
THOUGHT: Although not a common word in our culture, “stronghold” is mentioned 52 times in the NIV and 66 in the ESV. It’ a place of shelter or hiding, often used in battle; a fortress, but most often one found in nature, like a cave.
David had strongholds he used as he hid from Saul, so the metaphors of Psalm 9 come easily to him. God is like a fortress in the mountains; a place I can run to and be hidden from oppression and trouble. A blending of reality with the metaphoric. He’s found that God will hide him from his enemies over and over again. 1 Samuel 23:14 records, “And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness…. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.”
It’s true for us too. Knowing God’s name is knowing God’s reputation, both from firsthand experience and the testimony of others. You make a run for The Stronghold knowing God has not forsaken you. You know him. You trust him.
The only cautionary usage of the word is in 2 Corinthians 10:4 (and the only time the word appears in the New Testament), when Paul says: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We can run to a stronghold that can be destroyed – and there are lots of choices – or, we can run to the rock of a God we know and trust. Other strongholds may look more appealing, but there is only one that never fails.
PRAYER: Oh God, you are a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. I run to you because I’ve seen you deliver me over and over.
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Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
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