“God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear”
Psalm 46:1-2a
If you are like me, you probably have a routine in the mornings that you follow. Britton and I usually wake around 6 and as she takes a shower I will usually grab my iPad and check my news app to see what happened overnight and then I’ll open my Bible app and read Living Hope’s daily Bible readings until its my turn in the washroom.
Yesterday (Sunday) and again today, the first headlines I saw were terrifying. A terror attack in Edmonton, 50 people dead in Las Vegas. My wife is traveling this week on business, attending a conference in downtown Vancouver. These two attacks filled me with fear as I wondered what’s next and is my wife in danger? My oldest daughter lives in Calgary, is she safe? Is Regina safe?
Maybe you’ve had the same thoughts?
The headlines that greet us each morning are grim. Terror, violence, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, threats of war and outright chaos in every corner of the world.
In Psalm 46, the Psalmist describes something that could have been taken right off of the news this morning. The Psalmist describes earthquakes, oceans roaring and waters surging (think hurricanes and floods), nations in chaos (think US & N. Korea), endless wars (think Afghanistan and Syria), and governments falling apart. In the midst of all the chaos the Psalmist describes he says two things.
- God is ready to help in times of trouble
- Trust God, don’t live in fear
God is not an absentee Father, he’s with your right now. Awful things have happened, lives have been forever changed, including ours. In the midst of the terror attacks, the natural disaster and the uncertainty of our times, God is with you and he wants to help you, if you’ll turn to him.
Psalm 46:4-5 says,
“A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.”
Wouldn’t you love to live in a city like that? Wouldn’t you love to live in a city where joy never runs out? Wouldn’t you love live in a city where there is no fear? The reality is, you do.
In the New Testament we discover that anyone who is a disciple of Jesus has the Spirit of God living inside them, the Apostle Paul refers to us as the Temple of God. In the Old Testament the Temple was located in the heart of Jerusalem and it represented the presence of God amongst his people. Now, you are the Temple of God, God’s Spirit is living inside you if you have recognized Jesus as the Saviour and Leader of your life.
The river of joy that the Psalmist speaks of can be present in your life, thanks to the Spirit who is the source of joy. The protection promised, is yours because God gives his people eternal life, you will never be destroyed. God is ready to help in times of trouble, if you’ll turn to him and find the joy and protection he offers.
The Psalmist ends his song by saying,
“Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;”
In other words, trust God, he’s got your back. In the midst of a crazy world, we don’t have to wake up in terror, because our Heavenly Father is in charge. God is in charge and has a plan to bring order to the chaos you woke up to this morning. If you’ll trust him there may even be something he wants you to do in the midst of the chaos.
So, if you are worried or filled with fear this morning, talk with God about it. Tell your Heavenly Father how you feel about what is going on, share your concerns and fears, and tell him what you’d like to see happen. Then be still and let God be God.
Be still and let God speak to you about his plan and let him speak words of comfort to you. Just listen.
Be still and let God bring order out of chaos. Look for him to act and listen for his invitation to join in what he is already doing.
Be still and trust that even when you don’t understand what is going on, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is with you and you don’t have to live in terror or fear of what the day may bring.
Source: Kirk’s Blog
