Lately my daughter has developed a fear of tornadoes. I mean almost daily she will say something along the lines of, \u201cIs it spring? Is a tornado coming to carry us away?\u201d<\/p>\n
And every time we respond with a few simple promises. First, we remind\u00a0her that God is in control and that He will always be with us no matter what. Second, we remind\u00a0her that statistically there is a very low probability of a tornado carrying her away. Third, we remind\u00a0her that Mommy and Daddy will keep her as safe as they can.<\/p>\n
And then we remind her where her shelter is if a tornado is coming. Run into the basement and stay there until the storm is past. We are pointing her to a place of refuge.<\/p>\n
A refuge is a place that is providing a shelter. A refuge is a safe place where you can be at rest even though the world around the refuge is full of chaos.<\/p>\n
Today you may feel you are in a world surrounded by chaos. Your social media feed fills your mind with all kinds of questions and doubts. The news channel is broadcasting so many hopeless stories and\u00a0leaves you wondering what\u00a0reality is. Then add the chaos of your own house full of people who desperately need to get out of the house and see friends and other people. Chaos!!!<\/p>\n
And even\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0all the chaos you know that you need to find a place of refuge. Where can I go and be safe and confident in the middle of chaos?<\/p>\n
One of my favorite psalms\u00a0to focus on\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0calamity is\u00a0Psalm 46. I run to this passage many times when I am struggling with thoughts of worry and concern. Over and\u00a0over again\u00a0I am encouraged by the reminders and the truths that are found in this poem.<\/p>\n
I hope as we look at this\u00a0poem\u00a0we can see the beauty of our greatest source of refuge.<\/p>\n
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.\u00a0<\/em>2<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Therefore\u00a0we will not fear, though the earth should change\u00a0And\u00a0though the mountains slip into the heart of the\u00a0sea;\u00a0<\/em>3<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Though its waters roar\u00a0and\u00a0foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.<\/em><\/p>\n 4<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the\u00a0Most High.\u00a0<\/em>5<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0God is\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.\u00a0<\/em>6<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.\u00a0<\/em>7<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0The\u00a0Lord\u00a0of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.<\/em><\/p>\n 8<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Come, behold the works of the\u00a0Lord,\u00a0Who\u00a0has wrought desolations in the earth.\u00a0<\/em>9<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.\u00a0<\/em>10<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0\u201cCease\u00a0striving\u00a0and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the\u00a0nations,\u00a0I will be exalted in the earth.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>11<\/sup><\/em> The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.\u00a0 (Psalm 46 – NASB95)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n This poem is written in a way that starts at the point of hope and works\u00a0it\u00a0way through the conflict and ends with our source of hope again. I hope as we take this poem apart and put it back together it will encourage you.<\/p>\n God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.\u00a0(v.1)<\/em><\/p>\n This is a simple reminder for\u00a0us that God is that refuge\u00a0we are looking for. And every time in the middle of trouble, He can be found.<\/p>\n Like a villager scrambling to the castle as\u00a0the threat of attack approaches, we can always know where our refuge is. Or like a little girl sprinting into the basement as the winds howl across the fields, we can always know where our refuge is.<\/p>\n Therefore\u00a0we will not fear, though the earth should change\u00a0And\u00a0though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;\u00a0(v.2)<\/em><\/p>\n The person who is safely in the place of refuge can rest comfortably even though everything in the world around them is crashing down.<\/p>\n 3<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Though its waters roar\u00a0and\u00a0foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.<\/em>4<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the\u00a0Most High.\u00a0(vs.3-4)<\/em><\/p>\n Even though all of nature is in\u00a0uproar God is in control. At His command, peace is restored. I love the story of the disciples in the boat\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0the craziest storm. They are getting tossed all over the place on the boat deck. This must have been a big storm because these are experienced fishermen, who had been on a boat in the middle of big storms before. Yet, they were afraid. Then Jesus steps up and says, \u201cPeace,\u00a0be still!\u201d\u00a0and immediately all is calm.<\/p>\n Listen,\u00a0there is no natural event that\u00a0is too out of control for the One who reigns over nature. You can rest and trust in His sovereign plan. There is no craziness that can take place over which God is not sovereign.<\/p>\n God is\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. (v.5)<\/em><\/p>\n The beauty in all of this for the believer is that our refuge is always there with us. We do not even have to run and look for Him. Even if my daughter is safely in our basement playing on a perfectly calm day, she does not feel as at peace as she does if I am with her. It is my presence that is most comforting to her.<\/p>\n Friend, God will never leave you or forsake you. He is there with you. Rejoice in His presence.<\/p>\n The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;\u00a0(v.6a)<\/em><\/p>\n As if it is not enough that nature and the world is crazy around us, we are reminded that even politics can get out of line.<\/p>\n He raised His voice, the earth melted.\u00a0(v.6b)<\/em><\/p>\n God allows chaos into the world at various times. These\u00a0times\u00a0are not easy, but they are reminders of His power.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Lord\u00a0of hosts is with us; The God of\u00a0Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.\u00a0(v.7)<\/em><\/p>\n Now we are being reminded of the same truths our attention was turned to earlier in the poem. We have been taken all the way in to see the depths of the chaos. Nature is in turmoil, the nations are raging, and God is allowing this trial to take place in the world.<\/p>\n Yet,\u00a0it is\u00a0just another gentle reminder. God is still there. He is still present in your chaos.<\/p>\n Come, behold the works of the\u00a0Lord,\u00a0Who\u00a0has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.\u00a0(vs.8-9)<\/em><\/p>\n God even knows the craziness of the political climates, and yet He is still there.<\/p>\n \u201cCease\u00a0striving\u00a0and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the\u00a0nations,\u00a0I will be exalted in the earth.\u201d\u00a0(v.10)<\/em><\/p>\n How often are you pausing to just be still and recognize the presence of God in the middle of the chaos?<\/p>\n The\u00a0Lord\u00a0of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.\u00a0(v.11)<\/em><\/p>\n As the chaos approaches in your\u00a0life,\u00a0may you run as quickly as you can to your only source of refuge.<\/p>\n God is with you! You are safe! Be still and know that He is God!<\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Matt Hardy<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"God is our Refuge!<\/h2>\n
No fear!<\/h2>\n
God rules over natural calamities!<\/h2>\n
God is present!<\/h2>\n
Nations rage!<\/h2>\n
God Speaks!<\/h2>\n
God is present!<\/h2>\n
God rules over political\u00a0calamities!<\/h2>\n
Be still!<\/h2>\n
God is\u00a0our\u00a0refuge!<\/h2>\n
\n