DEVOTION

Theme: City of Refuge

Text: Joshua 20:1-4

20 The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

The Lord made known to Moses the children of Israel ought to have cities of refuge and so He reiterated it to Joshua to encourage them to build cities of refuge. In our dispensation, these cities should take the form of spirit filled beings that are willing and ready to touch lives and bring about divine changes. 

Each day, crime is on the increase and do you care to know why? This is because, many are caught up in pain that's taking their very best part away and all they have to give back to society is the ugly side (the pain in them). Psychologist have it that, those who are hurting, often infringe the same level of pain or even more on their victims. They do that just to ease their unending pain. 

There are good number of people who really need someone to listen to their plight in life. Since there's no one to listen to them, they've become addictive to alcohol, smoking, pornography and other social vices. Dear beloved in the Lord, we need cities of refuge not just for accidental murder but for comforting those in distress.

 There's no need to build cities with hands but our reception towards people in one form of trouble or the other is the city we need to build. If we can hear them out, we will be half way healing them of their pain before taking any action to solve the situation. There's someone out there who needs you to hear him or her out. Please, let's open up to them. Be welcoming and you'll be amazed the number of lives you'll touch.

Our services are to be rendered to the sick not the healthy (Matthew 9:10-13 & Luke 5:27-32). Let's step out in faith and become cities of refuge for perishing souls.

Prayer: O God, You are my refuge in times of trouble. Touch me with Your warm embrace that I may become a place of refuge for souls that are troubled and overwhelmed by the worries of this age. Guide me even as I take up this role and help me to do it the way You want it to be done in Jesus name have I asked. AMEN!