Finding Refuge In A World At War

War tempts us to worry.

On Wednesday evening, President Bush told our nation, “Now that conflict has come, the only way to limit its duration is to apply decisive force.” The president promised “a broad and concerted campaign” but warned that it “could be longer and more difficult than some predict.”

We worry about people we love who are serving in the military. We have a list of members and attenders of CVCC and sons and daughters and relatives of CVCCers on our prayer request sheet each week. Proud of them? Yes! But truly concerned. Yesterday, some of our troops were intentionally hit with grenades by one of own soldiers. In this new world, the enemy is not only out there, but he’s here. Will our loved ones return home alive and well and soon?

War tempts us to worry.

We worry because we read reports that with our attack on Iraq Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations have intensified their efforts to recruit young Muslim men. They are tapping into their rising anger about this war with Iraq. Could it be that a new generation of terrorists committed to attacks in our nation are now being identified and groomed? We worry about the kind of world we and our children will be living in. Will we be victims of a terrorist attack? Will our young children have to fight in a war to defend our nation?

War tempts us to worry. But every Christ-follower can find a place of safety, a place of rest, a place of protection, a place of shelter… even in the thick of the battle.

Finding refuge in a world at war

Text: Psalm 2, p. 393

This is one of the Psalms that describes Jesus way before He was even born. It’s prophecy. Verses in Acts 4 and Hebrews 1 explicitly state that this psalm refers to Christ. But that’s not all. This chapter describes how a person can have peace when the world is at war. Let’s read how the psalm begins.

1 Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?

Clearly, this is a psalm that can describe a world at war.

Now, let’s consider how the psalm ends.

12b How blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

In the thick of a world at war, God is saying that our souls can be at rest. Let’s see how by breaking down this psalm verse by verse.

To find refuge in a world at war, I must …

I. … know the truth.

We have to learn to read the paper and watch the news from a biblical perspective. The lens through which we look at the world can’t be CNN’s lens or the Plain Dealer’s lens. We must not look at the world through the eyes of Rush Limbaugh or Oprah or Peter Jennings. We interpret the events of the world from a biblical perspective. We are Bible people.

Three truths to see:

a rebellious world. vv. 1-3

The first picture we see is this: From the very beginning of time, people and nations have: rebelled against God and His plan.

1 Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?

“The nations in an uproar…” Surely this describes where we find ourselves. France and Germany stand in opposition to this invasion. The radical Muslims are furious. And on the other side of the world, North Korea is a threat to peace. “The nations in an uproar…”

Even our own nation is in an uproar. Participants in anti-war rallies wave signs that say, “Win without war” and “Bush and Blair – what a pair.” People that support were yesterday screaming at the anti-war protesters, “Idiots, idiots, idiots!” You can join the Center of Conscience and War, an anti-war group, or Patriots for the Defense of America.

The nations are in an uproar. Why? Verse 2 gives the answer.

2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,

This verse is referring to Jesus as the Anointed One. The nations are in an uproar because they refuse to submit to Jesus. They have their own agenda. It’s not God’s agenda. They stand against Him. They rebel against Jesus Christ. They did it when this Psalm was written. They do it today. And that includes Iraq… and even the USA. Just look at the materialism and worldliness and selfishness of our nation. Our country is not deeply spiritual. We have our own agenda. A generation ago, Francis Schaffer said that our agenda is personal peace and affluence. That’s still true.

We shouldn’t be surprised that nations don’t submit to Christ. Jesus said, “Now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well” (John 15:24). How do the nations show opposition to Christ? Look at verse 3.