Psalm 46
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Psalm 46: 1:
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” |
“Trouble” has some far reaching applications as defined in the following verses: “though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” This is a far cry from what most of us consider to be trouble. English writer Quentin Crisp once said “The idea that He would take his attention away from the universe in order to give me a bicycle with three speeds is just so unlikely I can’t go along with it.” Whether the comment is doctrinally legit or not is not my point. Having the mountains fall into the sea: trouble. Not getting a close parking spot: not so much. Having the mountains quake: trouble. Not having the winning lottery ticket: not so much. As George Carlin once said: “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.”:-)
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Psalm 46:2:
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; |
Our security is in our faith, not in our safety. Security is not about safety. It is about faith and courage. There are those in our culture who live in great safety and prosperity, yet their lives are consumed with worry and fear. On the other hand, there are those in the world who live in very difficult and dangerous places who have security, because they are full of faith and hope. We want to be safe, but it is more important for us to be secure in our faith and find our courage in God. The Bible says, “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever” (Psalm 125:1). Security is not the absence of trouble, but confidence and courage in the midst of trouble that comes from our faith.
He has said, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). It is this faith that gives us the courage to say, we “will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day” (Psalm 91:5). Our confidence cannot be shaken, because we have a God who is in complete control of the universe. The earth may crumble and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, but we know that God is unchanged, and his love will see us through. We say, “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8). We say with the Psalmist, “I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2). We have courage because God has said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). We are secure in an unsafe world because the Bible says, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). We have courage, not because we are strong, but because we have a God who is powerful beyond words and rules over all. |
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Psalm 46:10:
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! |
In the shadows of our daily routine, we cannot see ourselves completely. So, at times, we discard social entanglements and adopt solitude, hoping to propel our mind toward higher consciousness.
Rather than seeking gratification in the external world, we stretch our thoughts beyond normal cognition, seeking contentment that resides within. What we seek from solitude is awareness, consciousness and remembrance of the Divine. Language . . . has created the word “loneliness” to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone. [Paul Tillich]. Solitude secures private space for our work and our thoughts, providing refuge from unsolicited intrusions and spurious claims to our soul. To most of us, solitude usually means making ourselves inaccessible by withdrawing from social contact, perhaps a day, a weekend, or just a few hours. Solitude can even be measured in minutes removed from a busy itinerary. At its heart, solitude is primarily about not doing something. Just as fasting means to refrain from eating, so solitude means to refrain from society, When we go into solitude, we withdraw from conversation, from the presence of others, from noise, from the constant barrage of stimulation. [John Ortberg, The Life You've Always Wanted]. --Daily Devotions for Dining With God |
Martin Lloyd-Jones Files
“Be still, and know that I am God'. We must not interpret that 'Be still' in a sentimental manner. Some regard it as a kind of exhortation to us to be silent; but it is nothing of the sort. It means, 'Give up (or 'Give in') and admit I am God. God is addressing people who are opposed to Him”
― David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount