1God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
Psalm 46:1-3, NASB95
How “real” is the Lord? That is a fundamental question for all of us. For many, God is a good luck charm: largely irrelevant to their day-to-day consideration but seemingly on call to be used to combat terrible consequences. For others, God is a retirement plan: Something you plan for but once you have it, you can rest easy and wait until later in life when it begins to payout. But God never reveals Himself as the “in case of emergency” contingency plan or the golden years’ support system. He reveals Himself and demands recognition as our present tense help.
Psalm 46 is one of those psalms that some Christians view in ways it was never intended. Verse 10 has graced many T-shirts and coffee mugs through the years. “Be still and know that I am God.” What is often left off is the purpose of God’s presence and our confidence— “I will be exalted among the nations and in all the earth.” Our confidence is in God’s victory, His glory, and His exaltation. We do not need to concern ourselves with the responsibility of conjuring up the glory of God. His glory and His purpose do not ultimately depend on us…but on the God who works in us! That does not mean that we are passive or apathetic. It simply means we are confident in the conclusion.
That confidence is at the heart of the verses above. Notice that God IS our refuge and strength. He is a “present tense” God for “present tense” obstacles.
God is OUR refuge and strength. God is not the protector of all people. He is not the “safe place” for every person. Any confidence that brings comfort comes first from the covenant—God’s covenant promises toward us.
As certain as God IS, so apparently are our troubles. Troubles are part of life. This flies in the face of those who claim that a faithful life for God prevents difficulties. Jesus Himself said that troubles were the reality for all His people in this life (See John 16:33).
How can we rest in the help God promises and find any sense of peace in it? That’s the point inferred in our text. Not even nature is a source of concern for us because God is master over nature. You only have to live through a natural disaster to realize how overwhelming they can be. I have had a couple of events involving floods and can tell you that when waters rage, there is no resisting. I have had friends who have ridden out hurricanes or earthquakes and spoken of the terrible fright they endured. Obviously, these experiences have been on the tame side. None of them have been F-5 Tornadoes, Cat 5 Hurricanes, or Mt. Vesuvius-like eruptions. Yet each of these are under the absolute authority and care of God. And He has always reigned over them. Or might I mention the global flood of Noah’s day or the swallowing of the people Korah (See Numbers 16:31-33). God has caused the sun to stand still in the sky, held back the seas, and controlled the storms. If He can do these things, He is sovereign over our troubles. He is sufficient for our protection and peace. He is imminently helpful when we are at our end.
But we must NOW be His and treat Him with the honor and reverent obedience He commands.
Whatever you face, you can trust Him. Always.
Recent Comments