“…May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” – Ruth 2:12

The other day I came home from work to witness the construction of another fort. Let me assure you, it didn’t take me long to toss my backpack to the side, get down on all fours and climb inside this new and exciting place!

I have seen forts built with couch cushions, tables and chairs, giant floor mats that attach together like puzzle pieces and other random household materials. Almost all forts typically utilize blankets as a rooftop and pillows as furniture to make things more comfortable inside. And those are just the indoor forts!

Sometimes I see a fort in its glorious quilted mess and feel bad for the kids who will eventually have to clean it up. Other times, I go next level and participate in the fort-building process while offering innovative architectural ideas the children had not previously conceived of, and then again, feel bad they will eventually have to clean it up.

Forts are filled with adventure. Who doesn’t like tearing things apart, using whatever materials you can find to build a structure, a castle or a fortress to claim as your very own? You could say forts are for just for children; however, considering the most popular video game in the world (Fortnite – played by kids and adults alike) it’s safe to assume we are life-long fort builders. Fortnite is simply the newest way to keep playing make-believe.

But more than make-believe, I am convinced that fort building is in our nature. I checked Google and discovered that I’m not the only one who thinks this! Educator and author Davide Sobel of Antioch University New England who has studied the behavior of fort building says “it’s a universal drive that’s rooted in kids’ healthy development.”

We grow up building forts to fill up time, to express our creativity and to have fun with others. Even more than that, forts can become a special place that we claim as our own. For some of us growing up, forts were a necessary, safe escape. A hiding place from the outside world. A refuge in which to climb inside.

The reality stands that no matter how old we get, this doesn’t change. Our forts might not be constructed with couch cushions and covered by blankets, but the desire still remains — we still long for refuge.

It’s no wonder the writers of scripture speak about God in those same terms. A “strong tower,” a “hiding place,” a “fortress” or as Boaz describes to Ruth in their first encounter, “wings you have come to take refuge.” These are just a few examples.

The thing is, unless we actually experience trouble, these images of God almost seem fairytale like. Kings and armies and even young girls in a foreign land finding a hiding place in their God.

Yet when we do know trouble, we long for God as refuge. We know exactly what the writers of scripture are seeking. A rock when our circumstances are shaky. A hiding place when every turn brings bad news. A refuge from sickness and pain. A fort to get away from it all.

When you lose the job you’ve had your whole life, you’re looking for more than a fairy tale. When you feel like you’re experiencing undeserved criticism or abuse, you are looking for more than just make-believe. When you are reclining on a chair in a cancer center receiving your first chemotherapy treatment, you’re looking for something real. You’re looking for refuge.

We are all fort builders, and as we get older and experience trouble in life, we remember pretty quickly how important it is that we keep building. Just as the writers of scripture continued to grow in their understanding of what refuge looked like and paint pictures of how God provided them shelter, we too will see other images and other examples of how God is our fortress.

Boaz sees in Ruth the kind of faith who finds a fort in the covering of God’s wings. May your faith be the same. May you trust in the God who provides true refuge, and may you richly experience the reward of His goodness.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. – Psalm 18:2