Where Can You Find Hope When You Are In Poverty? - Psalm 14:6

God Loves You

What should we do when we find ourselves in poverty? And what about poverty that is not just financial? We may be emotionally poor or poor in spirit where we suffer from some depression or just the overwhelming difficulties of life. Is there a real safety net for all personal poverty? Is there any hope?

"You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge." Psalm 14:6 NIV.

LORD
To call God Lord is to acknowledge His sovereign rule over the universe. It is to say He is governing all the affairs of all things, He commands the stars and the seas and legions of angelic host; God is bigger than all our frustrations. We must remind ourselves that He is all-powerful, all-seeing, all caring truly understands, and that our loving God is in control!

REFUGE
We all need a place to go sometimes. "the Lord is their refuge," a refuge is a shelter, a hiding place, and protection. A refuge keeps out the danger and offers safety, it is secure, and the enemy cannot enter. The Lord is ALL these things. We can always flee to Him.

HOPE
This verse is hopeful because it only says "frustrate," not "defeats," or "conquers" or "overcomes." Evil can only succeed in frustrating us if we surrender to it. Our victory has already happened at the cross. The greatest evil, sin, has been defeated by the death and resurrection of our Savior.

POOR
It is a marvel that God would welcome the poor! Rulers keep their distance from the poor, but here we see the Ultimate Ruler inviting the poor to find refuge in Him. What hopes that no matter who you are, you will be accepted into the refuge of the Almighty God.

TIME
A refuge is a temporary place; you retreat there to lick your wounds, sharpen your sword, and rest, but the time comes that you will be healed, refreshed, and ready for the Captain of The Armies of The Lord to lead you back out to battle and victory.

CHOOSE
Choose to make the Lord your refuge. Are you poor in health or finances, family, career, lonely, or some loss or disappointment has taken the joy out of life? Whatever personal poverty you experience, you must make the Lord your refuge. We all have plans, dreams, desires for a happy life and for the happiness of loved ones; sadly, many of these dreams disappoint us, but you can find refuge for your disappointment in the Lord.

No matter how big our challenge we can look to bigger One. In the midst of our hardships, the words “but the lord…” becomes our turnaround point where hope trumps it all!

(c) Adron 2/26/11