Three nights ago we finished off the second movie, The Two Towers. If you're familiar with the story, you'll know Helm's Deep. Helm's Deep was a massive refuge for the people of Rohan, built into the cliffs, solidly protected. It was said that no army could get into this refuge. It was utterly untouchable and stolidly implacable.
But there was a tiny flaw. You see, there was a small drain that cut underneath the refuge and entered the city through a little grate. And when the good people of Rohan holed up in Helm's Deep in The Two Towers and the evil Uruk-Hai armies of Sauron marched against the refuge, the Uruk-Hai found the drain. And they stormed the keep. As massive and protected and apparently unapproachable as Helm's Deep was, this refuge was not unbreachable.
My church was blessed to have Bert Kuehner guest preach yesterday while my dad's in California. He preached on Psalm 46 and Martin Luther's age-enduring hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." He pointed out one thing that was utterly powerful, especially in light of the movie we finished off on Friday.
In the first verse of Psalm 46 we read:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
What Bert Kuehner pointed out was that God is the only refuge that will never fail. Even Helm's Deep could be stormed. Only God will never let you down. For the people of Rohan, Helm's Deep was their saviour, their hope, their lives. But instead of fulfilling their desire for total protection, it only revealed that their hope was ultimately misplaced.
We have our own substitute refuges, Mr. Kuehner pointed out - money, sex, people, pleasure, possessions. But all will fail us. Only One can give us the safety, the protection, the care that we crave. He will never let us down.
And that's some beautiful encouragement for the people of God.
Image Credit: http://elvenesse.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/HelmsDeep.jpg