A City of Refuge

Since January I have been reading through the Old Testament. I'm not on a certain reading plan broken down into daily segments, but simply reading as much or sometimes as little as God leads me through each day. Last night I finished reading the book of Joshua. I have always heard people reference the book of Numbers as being difficult to read, however I found Joshua to be even more difficult. To be absolutely honest, I don't care who got what land and where each of the borders were marked. While I saw every word, I am not sure I actually read each one. There were several things in the book of Joshua that really grabbed my attention.

Last night I found myself focusing for several minutes on the phrase "cities of refuge." These cities were put into place in the case of someone accidentally killing someone. It was a place for them to escape the "avenger of blood." The person fleeing was to stand before the city gate and plead their case for the elders to decide if they will allow them to enter. If they are allowed inside and the person looking for vengeance seeks them out, they are not to hand him over. He remains in the city until he stands trial and until the current high priest dies. At that point he can return to his hometown (paraphrased from Joshua 20:2-6).

Have you ever read a scripture and something speaks to you beyond the initial meaning of the words? I first read these verses and thought how great that is, but only if you killed someone. I've never killed anyone. And then it hit me. I have killed someone. It was because of MY sins that Jesus died. All those sins I've committed accidentally or unintentionally are what put Jesus on the cross. My whole life has been worthy of vengeance from the one I've wronged. The most amazing part of this is that the One I wronged is the very same One who provides my refuge.

According to Dictionary.com, refuge is defined as shelter or protection from danger or a storm; a place of shelter, protection, or safety; anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape.

What Jesus did for us was provide access to refuge in the storms of our lives. He opened the way of escape from the torments of hell into the gates of heaven. I often forget that He didn't HAVE to do that. He could have chosen to run away when He knew His time had come. In the same way many of us know the calling on our lives, so did Jesus. Unlike most of us, He chose to fulfill His purpose on earth rather than run away in order to preserve His own life (like we do in order to pursue our own plan).

My prayer for you today is to seek Jesus as your refuge. Stop running from Him because you think He is out to avenge you over the wrongs you have committed.  He has provided a place for you to live not out of the crimes you have committed, but as if you never have.