Refuge! Refuge!

430 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 3:26,27, “And when Joab had gone from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. 27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. Joab acting without the permission of David, hauls Abner back to Hebron and avenges the death of his brother Asahel. What makes this crime even more despicable is that it occurs in the gate of the city of Hebron, which was a designated city of refuge. Long story short, a city of refuge was a place where a man who was the subject of a revenge killing could flee to for safety. There were six such cities designated by God for the Israelites. These cities were so important that the roads leading to them were extra wide, they were to be as level as possible with nothing hindering the traveler from reaching the safety of the city. Every intersection along the way was to be clearly marked, “Refuge! Refuge! as to make sure the traveler would not make a wrong turn. If you haven't figured it out by now, Jesus serves as our cities of refuge, and it was John the Baptist who paved the way for us to find Him. Mt 3:1-3 says, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" John prepared the way to Jesus by calling people to repentance, and when Jesus arrived on the scene John pointed to Him and said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Which is another way of saying, “Refuge! Refuge!” We are all guilty of sin and deserving of death, and that fact is our call to repentance, but Jesus is our city of refuge! Flee to Him today. The way is prepared as you realize your need for forgiveness, and you are safe the moment you put your trust in Him. Father, thank You for providing a refuge for us in Jesus.