Daily Bread

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble;
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains tremble in the heart of the sea;
Though the waters rage and swell,
and though the mountains quake at the towering seas.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the dwelling of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her;
therefore shall she not be removed;
God shall help her at the break of day.
The nations are in uproar and the kingdoms are shaken,
but God utters his voice and the earth shall melt away.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come and behold the works of the Lord,
what destruction he has wrought upon the earth.

Today, our kingdoms are being shaken and the nations are in uproar! How relevant this psalm is to what we read about in the news or experience in our day-to-day lives!

First, let's deal with that tricky last line. What does the Psalmist mean, "Come and behold the works of the Lord, what destruction he has wrought upon the earth."

We tend to think of destruction as being a negative thing, but in this context, the destruction wrought by God is the destruction of all that is evil, unjust, and that which causes disruption, heartache, and turmoil.

Psalm 46 is a psalm that reminds us that God is ultimately in control. No matter what is going on 'down here' just a simple 'utterance' from God and it can all be dealt with.

Right now, if we think about the ongoing wars and power struggles in the world, they too will pass away. God is bigger and better than we can possibly imagine, and God is with us in the here and now — "a very present help in times of trouble." Though the world may be shaken, God cannot be moved, and in the midst of it, our job is to cling to and trust in the promises of God — including those found in Psalm 46.

Holy God
When the world around me is in turmoil,
and the mountains tremble and the waters rage and swell,
may I trust in your unfailing and steadfast love;
for you are my stronghold and can never be shaken.
Now and forever.