God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
Psalm 46:1-3
I had originally started out with the deliberate intention of not writing yet another piece about the tsunami disaster, as I am sure we have read our fair share of bad news in the papers on a daily basis over the past weeks. However (and I am sure you could see this coming), this was not meant to be as the Lord led me to a Psalm that some of us might be familiar with – Psalm 46 (otherwise known as the “Be Still and Know” Psalm), which became so very real in light of the circumstances surrounding us. In addition, this beautiful Psalm also revealed rich insights as to what our appropriate response should be, to trouble and troubling times…
Response #1: Do Not Fear (v.2)
Do not fear, in spite of…threats from nature (v.2-3) and warring nations (v.8-9).
Devastating earthquakes, floods, and fires will continue to plague our groaning earth. We are not to fear. Brutal genocides and unimaginable atrocities will continue to be committed by the “progressive” human race. We are not to fear.
Do not fear, because of…God’s promise that He is our refuge and strength, and a very present help in trouble (v.1).
God’s promises are faithful and true. What He has promised in His Word, He will see to. He has promised to be our refuge. He has promised to be our strength. He has promised to be a very present help in trouble. We have nothing to fear.
Do not fear, in light of…the glorious hope of the new Jerusalem in which God will dwell with His people once again (v.4-5).
In this Psalm, David contrasted the roaring, troubled waters with the river of life that flows through the city of God as a reminder that there will come a day when God will restore His creation to its original perfection as a true reflection of all that He is.
Response #2: Behold the Works of the Lord (v.8)
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami has sparked views on “God’s wrath” and judgment unleashed upon man from various religions throughout the region. Indeed just as our God is a God of love and peace, He is also a God of justice and holy vengeance. Behold the works of the Lord and recognize in all awe that He is the One whom “even the wind and waves obey”. Sometimes it takes calamities of such scale to remind us how truly almighty our God is and how we depend on Him for just about everything.
Response #3: Be Still (v.10)
Humans are forgetful creatures. Time and again crises strike us but in a flash, life goes on as usual. The 911 tragedy, the SARS epidemic, and soon enough this Tsunami disaster will also be a thing of the past, especially for those of us who did not have a personal stake in it. Let us take this time to linger a little longer in the moment. Let us tear ourselves away momentarily from our daily routine of busyness to reflect and journal items of thanksgiving; to recollect what God has taught us in the year past; to question if we have lost precious time for Him; to take action-steps on habits we have been wanting to change; to surrender areas of our lives we have been refusing to let go; to make right a wrong…
Be still. For it is only when we are quiet that we can hear what God is saying.
Response #4: Know that God is God (v.10)
Earthquakes and tsunamis. God is God. Changed landscapes, changed lives. God is God. Confirmed death toll of more than 165,000. God is still God. He is sovereign amidst wringing hands and cries of desperation. AND…He will be exalted. “I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
This is the time, cleared from the clutter of everyday living, when the hearts of many will crave the spiritual things we were made for. In the face of crisis, man, regardless of their station in life, will be confronted with the fundamental questions of life. But as we know, humans are forgetful creatures. For us whose eyes have been illumined to see the light, will we help point the way while the doors are open?
