Be still because you have a refuge

by Timothy Howe

       God is our refuge and strength,

  a very present help in trouble.

      Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

  though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

      though its waters roar and foam,

         though the mountains tremble at its swelling.


Yesterday, we were reminded that in the middle of the busyness of our schedule, we must take time to be still. The reminder from Psalm 46 was to "be still and know that He is God." The second part of that phrase gives us the reason why we can be still. There is a God. Throughout this psalm there are many attributes of our God which permits us to be still.



Be Still Because You Have a Refuge
The psalm begins with this reason. Read the first verse of Psalm 46
               God is our refuge and strength,

                   a very present help in trouble.

This verse identifies three aspects of God serving as our refuge.

He is our refuge.
First of all, he is our refuge. That means that He wants to be the place where we go when we are in difficulty. When life presses down too hard, or the options seem limited, that is precisely when the Lord wants us to turn to Him.


He is our strength.
It is in our weakness that He is shown to be strong. As we give our lives over to Him, even the areas where we have stumbled, especially the areas where we have stumble, He is able to accomplish so much more through us than we can ever imagine. And when it is in our weakness, He gets all the more glory.


He is a very present help in trouble.
I like this whole verse. It is a good one to memorize. The poetry in this last part - a very present help in trouble - especially speaks to the heart. Beyond the poetry though is a beautiful promise with three parts. 
     1. He is present. 
         He is with us no matter what. You go through nothing alone.      
     2. He is a help. 
         The Lord does not sit idly by and what calamity befall His children. 
         He will intervene, just at His perfect timing. 
     3. He is with us in times of trouble. 
         The Lord is not interested only in our good times. 
         He is with us in our difficult ones. 
         He wants to hear from you in those times. 
         Be honest with Him. He understands what you are going through.


Do Not Fear.

          Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

              though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

          though its waters roar and foam,

              though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

The rest of the psalm tells us the result of His presence in our lives. We do not have to fear anything in this world. This does not mean that we possess a naïve outlook to the very real problems that surround us.  The psalmist does not suggest that we will not have reasons to fear. In fact, he goes overboard to describe fearful events beyond any we will experience - the earth giving away and a mountain moving into the sea. 


The psalmist is communicating that though there will certainly be fearful events to beset us in this life, we can be fortified against them. He calls us to steel ourselves against the most fearful of events and not be paralyzed by fear. And he describes God as the forge for that steel. 


We have a refuge, strength and present help when the worst of the worst comes our way. Let us be a people that rely on the very presence of God. His presence matters most for those who know Him.


The Deeper Value of Presence.

One responsibility for pastors is to visit people in the hospital. Whenever you are in the hospital, you certainly appreciate the care that anyone demonstrates. It is a time of hurting and the presence of someone else is a reminder that you are not alone. Yet, there is a difference in different visits. A pastor visits all sorts of people. Some he knows very well, with whom he has eaten dinner in their homes and gone places. Others, he barely knows. Those with whom he is closest are most blessed by his presence compared to those who barely know him. Again, they all appreciate his presence, but the depth of the appreciation is very closely associated with the relationship to the person. The same is true for the presence of God in our lives. We all can appreciate His presence during our difficulties, but the depth of that appreciation will be proportional to your relationship to Him beforehand. So take time now, to know Him. Spend time in prayer. Read His word. Do so in a still and quiet place before the busyness of the day takes over.

Be still.

Know that He is with you in your time of trouble.