Day 28: God is ever present
Psalm 46:1-3
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, 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.”
Help! ) I need somebody,
(Help!) not just anybody ….
(Help!) you know I need someone … (Help!)
from a well known Beatles song..
It’s so easy to be happy and cheerful when everything’s fine and well; AA or Green Flag aren’t needed when the car ‘behaves itself’ and your journey goes without a hitch, but as things can and do go wrong – stuff happens …and we need help!
Some reading today’s reflection may be in painful situations right now; the pandemic may be the cause, but as the Psalmist asserts – there is help in God.
I can share my thoughts and be comfortable doing so because my past history is full of events where I’ve seen God’s goodness ‘coming through’ and helping my family in distressing situations.
Precious memories of these form the foundation of my faith and help me face the future knowing:-
v1. God is our refuge & strength, an ever present help in trouble
Yes, at times our very foundations do seem liable to collapse – but, faced with the prospect, the writer of today’s selection brims with confidence in the One who says ‘Sorted’ to dire situations.
It’s possible the writer is here remembering Jerusalem’s dramatic deliverance from King Sennacherib who threatened and surrounded the city with overwhelming numbers, equipment and strength. They are pictured like a stormy sea beating against a headland causing land to be eroded and consumed in the waves.
In human terms it should have been ‘no contest’ for the aggressors, but things turned out very differently. Hezekiah prayed and God rescued His people; invaders who’d insulted God’s people and God Himself got trounced in a quite unexpected way.
Having seen the problem and solution so to speak, let’s see how and where the Psalmist’s confidence comes from …
v1 states that God is our refuge – a refuge is a place you run to from extreme danger or hazard. So the first word could be go!
It further states that He is our strength – as we run to Him and rely on His power & strength, we grow
The Psalmist then acknowledges that he has come to know God’s faithfulness :-
v1b …an ever present help in trouble v2. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…’
So remember:
Go to God in troubles
Grow from the strength He gives
Know from experience that He is faithful
Prayer
‘Thank you Loving Father that we can go to You, grow in the strength you provide and know a certainty that helps us to live purposeful lives. Please help me now in my present situation, as I can’t do this without Your Grace and help each day. Thank you for past help and for this help in advance.
Amen
Martin Thorpe
Connect Leader