God Promises His Strength

Psalms 46:1, 10-11 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble…10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
 
THESE three verses promise God’s strength surrounds us. Psalm 46:10 is often quoted amid some very serious issues. Even with smaller challenges of everyday aggravations, we are wise to be still and consider the ways God is around us with his strength.
   The dramatic images in verses 2, 3 & 6 can be real descriptions of the earth’s groaning under sin’s burden: the earth gives way, mountains fall into the sea, nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall and the earth melts. Earthquakes, floods, fires and political rebellion disturb many regions of the world.
   These violent images can also represent assaults on your life. Sudden bad news is as a mountain crushing you. Your emotions quake with anger when someone treats you unfairly. Finances, occupations and relationships you believed were your safeguard, crash in the sea of despair. You don’t know if it is possible to be safe.
   God promises you are safe with him. Verses 4, 5 and 7 exalt God’s eternal sanctuary: V 4 There is a river that makes glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
   A full, flowing river is life. Genesis 2:10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden. From there it branched into four rivers that became the center of early civilizations. Water is real life.
   Water is also spiritual life. Ezekiel 47 is a vision of God’s life water flowing from Jerusalem’s temple. It begins as a small trickle and expands into a deep, wide flowing river, filled with life and bordered with fruit trees.
   Jesus also used this image one day when he taught in Jerusalem: John 7:38 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” The gospel of salvation, the eternal river of life, began as a trickle with 12 apostles. It has become a deep, wide, life-giving river for all who believe.
   All who believe will rejoice in the river of life in the holy city where the Most High dwells: Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 
   You can trust that out of sin’s raging devastation will come God’s enduring peace. V 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
   When the roaring is far too loud and the shaking seems uncontrollable, God wants you to know his life power flows eternally from his throne into you. In faith hear his promise, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  The God you worship is in charge of all creation. He’s in charge of you.