Get ready to start a journey…a journey through the pages of the Bible and the pages of your life.
Sometimes, we experience an earthquake of the soul. Our world is shaken. Our hearts are confused. A teenager takes their life. A young person struggles with cancer. A person in great physical shape dies suddenly of a heart attack. A child goes the way of a prodigal. A spouse moves out. These things, and many more, rock our world. But when these inevitable times occur, we can stand strong. Really? That’s what the psalmist reminds us in Psalm 46.
Today’s psalm gives us three truths we can drive like stakes into the ground to keep us steady. Let’s read the passage and consider each promise.
In the English language, “hope” is a fuzzy word. It describes a wish or desire that something will happen or turn out a certain way. We might hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow, but tomorrow brings a downpour. In our language, hope has no guarantees.
God is in complete control of all things. His sovereignty is not delegated or shared. He is intimately involved in the day-to-day affairs of your life. David says it this way in our passage today.
Ever feel like you don’t measure up? Ever seem like life’s assignment is beyond your skill level? Convinced that you don’t have what it takes? Don’t feel alone. The line of inadequacy stretches around the block, but you don’t have to stand stuck in the long line. Step out and find where these emotions can be addressed.
The fear of uncertainty causes us to run . . . fast. We run to where we think will bring comfort. We run to where the pain can be dulled, at least for a while. These are unhealthy places that deliver short-lived satisfaction and false hope.
God finds me in the darkness, the place where fear of the unknown resides, but he doesn’t leave me there. He is my personal light, revealing the sin of my heart, showing my desperate need, and illuminating the right path to take.
“Fear” and “friendship.” Those words normally don’t go together. How can the “friendship of the Lord” be for those who “fear him”? Doesn’t fear cause us to run away? Isn’t friendship for those who hang close?
Some people like to trust the tangible—things they can see and touch, such as a strong showing of the Dow, a large and equipped military, a secure retirement, or their party running the government. Some trust in well-built, fortified chariots pulled by strong, speedy horses.
The prophet Samuel had anointed David as the new king of Israel. However, Saul, the reigning king, did not accept the coronation. He was obsessed with killing the competition. Saul and his elite soldiers chased David around the countryside. After a close call, David wrote the words in today’s passage thanking God for delivering him.
I just finished recording a podcast with three individuals who have a unique relationship. God put them in the same neighborhood. They have children similar in age. They study the Bible together. They watch each other’s kids and take care of practical needs. They are going through all the stuff of life.
One day, we will stand before the Lord to give an account. In the end, only one thing matters for the rich and the poor. The issue will be where each one of us stands with Jesus.