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Jesus is My Refuge

On Palm Sunday, Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people didn’t recognize him (Luke 19:41). Later in Holy Week, Jesus cried out for us all: “O how I have longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings!” (Matthew 23:37, paraphrase).

Do you desire to be that close to Christ? Can you imagine yourself being as vulnerable as a little chick and cuddling close to the Lord Jesus as your Refuge and the delight of your heart?

David, the Psalmist with a heart for God, does this and he shows us how.

David’s Heart Beats for God

David sought to take refuge under the wings of the Lord, snuggled up to his chest. We can “take heart” from him. In Psalm 61:1-4 David is in a desert wilderness and he prays:

Hear my cry, O God…

From the ends of the earth I call to you…

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I…

I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

Selah.

I can imagine David hiding and praying in a desert cave as the armies of Saul (or his son Absalom) are hunting him down. In his trial, David trusted in the Lord as his refuge.

I can imagine Jesus’ words that he is like a mother bird and you and I are like his little chicks: he opens his wings and gathers us close, safe and warm under his soft feathers.

Make Jesus your Refuge

What difficulty are you experiencing? Make the Lord your refuge right now.

Take a moment to pray “Jesus is My Refuge,” my prayer inspired by Psalm 61:4. It includes seven meditations on the ministry of Christ, our Savior and Lord. Be still for awhile… Imagine yourself under the wings of Christ who longs for you with tears… See yourself hiding in Christ your cave… Let him embrace you close to his heart…

To slow down your praying and use your body to engage your mind with God’s Word, you might try my Psalm 61 prayer as a Breath Prayer:

Breathe in the Precious Name, the Powerful Name: “Lord Jesus Christ…”

Hold your breath and your appreciation of Christ.

Then breathe out: “I take refuge in ________.”

It’s good to repeat this prayer slowly a few times. Try to linger in the Selah of the Psalmist, a pause to rest in God’s presence and reflect on his words. You might try a few simple and refreshing Selah Breath Prayers, slowly breathing in, “Se (say)…” and breathing out “lah…”

To hold your attention on Christ, you can imagine the aspect of his ministry that you’re praying about.

Jesus is My Refuge

Lord, I long to dwell in your tent forever.

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your wings…

Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your tears…

Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your cave…

Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your kingdom…

Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your embrace…

Se… lah..

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your cross…

Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your holy name…

Se… lah…

Father, Son, and Spirit, I long to dwell in your tent forever.

Abiding in Prayer is one of the spiritual exercises that helps me the most. I like to meditate on Scripture in this way for a few quiet minutes in the morning. Then as often as I can remember during the day I practice God’s presence as I do whatever I am doing by praying a line like:

“Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your wings.”

More Breath Prayers

To pray a short verse or paraphrase of Scripture as a Breath Prayer is refreshing and empowering. It helps you learn to practice God’s presence all day and stay in tune with the peace of Christ. I’ve selected key verses of Scripture and developed step-by-step instructions for meditation, breathing rhythms, and prayer in “Breath Prayer Guides.”

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