A defensible position

The seventh Psalm starts out with the words, "I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!" We know that David spent a great deal of time either running from Saul and his warriors or fighting one battle after another to maintain his kingdom - and some of those battles were from within his own family. There is probably something quite 'practical' in these words because a warrior needed protection on occasion - just to get away from it all and to recover from the fight. An area of 'strong defense' was a godsend to a warrior. For David, he might have needed a 'physically defensible position' from which he could take refuge. It is also quite possible he may have needed a 'spiritually defensible position' where he could be renewed and refreshed 'in the battle'. 

We need both on occasion - a physical place that brings us a sense of safety and a spiritual place where our emotional and spiritual health is renewed. One without the other is really not all that great. Maybe that is why we have these examples in scripture, showing us that it is never wrong to need a 'place of retreat' along with the time to actually 'heal within the retreat'. One thing we may not realize about a place of refuge is that the warrior usually sought one not so much to hide and recover, but one that gave him an excellent 'defensible' position. That meant battle could be done from that place, but he had the advantage of those attempting to bring and attack against it. In other words, it wasn't a walled-off canyon, but a high vantage point that made it hard for the enemy to attack with him unaware of the enemy's approach.

Most of the time, we 'retreat' and think it means we just let our guard down. A place of refuge didn't mean the warrior no longer needed to keep guard over his life. It meant he was in a position to 'fight a good fight' - one he was likely to win because of the 'position' he enjoyed. When our defensible position is 'in Christ', we are both 'renewed' for the battle, and able to utilize the best of 'strategies' to overcome the enemy's attack. Without this 'defensible position', we are sitting ducks! Why would we choose to 'fight' alone? Psalm 3:5-6 reminds us, "I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me. I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side." The key to victory is found in finding that 'defensible place' in life. There is no better 'option' than to be 'in Christ'! Just sayin!