By Joe
Slater
“God
is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will
not fear . . .” (Psalm 46:1-2a).
God is our refuge, our place of shelter in
life’s storms. Danger isn’t always physical; our adversary walks about as a
roaring lion seeking to devour us. Jesus taught us to pray, “Deliver us from
the evil one” (Matthew 6:13).
God is our strength. Our own strength will
fail us, but God’s strength never will. Not just our physical strength but our
moral and spiritual strength may be taxed to the breaking point by whatever
trials and temptations we are facing.
God is a very present help in trouble. He
is not distant from us or unconcerned about us. Even people who do not know Him
are objects of His care, as Paul told the philosophers in Athens, “He is not
far from each one of us; for in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts
17:27-28). That being true of people in general, how much more should we have
confidence He is present with us, especially during difficult times?
Therefore, we will not fear. Since God is
our refuge, our strength, and a very present help in trouble, why would we
fear? When Jesus’ disciples became afraid, He said, “Oh you of little faith!
Why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Little faith is often our problem, too. We
find ourselves saying with the man in Mark 9:24, “Lord, I believe; help my
unbelief!”
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