CALM IN CHAOS
Psalm 46 from today’s reading could hardly be more appropriate for us to reflect on in this season. Worldwide, there seems to be plenty of fear and uncertainty and even chaos. We know that we Christ-followers are certainly not exempt from troubles and calamities. The same mountains-falling-into-the-sea and earth-giving-way kind of things happen to and affect us as they do to unbelievers. With a huge difference of course---we have the Lord’s help and resources!
I see three things in this Psalm that help remind us what to do when troubles come our way. First of all, when trouble comes, we need to know where our refuge is, Who our refuge is. “God is our refuge” says verse 1. If we are looking anywhere else besides God for our refuge, we are looking at the wrong place. One definition of refuge is “shelter from danger”. These days we hear a lot about “safe places” or “safe people”. To use today’s lingo, God is the ultimate safe place; He is the ultimate safe person.
Secondly, when trouble comes, we need to know where our strength comes from. Again in verse 1 it says that God is our strength. We have such meager strength of our own to face difficulties--- we easily become overwhelmed and overcome. BUT…we have access to the strength of the Almighty God. Amazing, isn’t it? Then notice the next phrase, “an ever-present help in trouble”. His “ever-present help” means He is always available. He never goes off-duty. He is never distracted. We won’t ever find Him on an extended coffee break. He is always available to help us. What a promise!
Finally, when trouble comes, we should not fear (v 2). No matter what might happen---and there is quite a daunting list of calamitous possibilities recorded in those next verses---we should not fear. We need to keep our perspective. We need to refocus our thoughts. But how in the world can we do that when we are right in the middle of trouble and chaos? The answer is in verses 7-11. We need to remember Who God is. We need to be still and know that He is God. We need to remember that He will be exalted among the nations and in the earth. When we redirect our thoughts to Who God is, it puts our fears in perspective. We can have calm even in the midst of chaos.
I see three things in this Psalm that help remind us what to do when troubles come our way. First of all, when trouble comes, we need to know where our refuge is, Who our refuge is. “God is our refuge” says verse 1. If we are looking anywhere else besides God for our refuge, we are looking at the wrong place. One definition of refuge is “shelter from danger”. These days we hear a lot about “safe places” or “safe people”. To use today’s lingo, God is the ultimate safe place; He is the ultimate safe person.
Secondly, when trouble comes, we need to know where our strength comes from. Again in verse 1 it says that God is our strength. We have such meager strength of our own to face difficulties--- we easily become overwhelmed and overcome. BUT…we have access to the strength of the Almighty God. Amazing, isn’t it? Then notice the next phrase, “an ever-present help in trouble”. His “ever-present help” means He is always available. He never goes off-duty. He is never distracted. We won’t ever find Him on an extended coffee break. He is always available to help us. What a promise!
Finally, when trouble comes, we should not fear (v 2). No matter what might happen---and there is quite a daunting list of calamitous possibilities recorded in those next verses---we should not fear. We need to keep our perspective. We need to refocus our thoughts. But how in the world can we do that when we are right in the middle of trouble and chaos? The answer is in verses 7-11. We need to remember Who God is. We need to be still and know that He is God. We need to remember that He will be exalted among the nations and in the earth. When we redirect our thoughts to Who God is, it puts our fears in perspective. We can have calm even in the midst of chaos.
by Marilyn Busenitz
Posted in Read Through the Bible
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