Jason Silver

Wednesday, May 30th, 2018

Hiding Place

I like the word refuge.

If you search for the origins on Google, you'll see that it comes from Latin, where “re” and “fugere” mean “back” and “flee” respectively. The words “fugitive” and “refugee” are related, and the sense of those words helps you get an idea of the original source word.

One of my favourite sites, Etymonline.com has this to say:

“shelter or protection from danger or distress,” late 14c., from Old French refuge “hiding place” (12c.), from Latin refugium “a taking refuge; place to flee back to,” from re- “back” (see re-) fugere “to flee” (see fugitive (adj.)) -ium “place for.”

I can agree enthusiastically that God is my shelter and protection from danger and distress. He is my hiding place. I'm a refugee, a foreigner on this earth.

From time to time one hears naysayers downplay religion and faith, and especially Christianity perhaps, as being a “crutch.” The insinuation is that if one was strong, if one was able to stand on their own two feet, then they wouldn't need religion.

I don't mind saying I'm weak. I'm the first to agree that I cannot stand on my own. I've proven to myself that I make poor choices when left to my knee-jerk ways.

Does that make me crippled, inferior, in need of a crutch? Absolutely. And what better refuge that a God of love, the creator who calls himself our Father?

There is none better.