Psalm: 46: 1. God is our (my) refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble
God is our (my) refuge.
Refuge means a place that provides shelter or protection A condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. Shelter or protection from danger or distress
Num:35: 11. select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.
Pr: 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Pr: 10:25. When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
ii. God is our (my) strength
Ps: 84:4-5. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.[c]
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
One’s spiritual strength is in his heart and it is covered with faith – controlled by the peace of God
Ps: 57:7. My heart, O God is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
No praise – No strength – pouring our heart is worship – they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength
I have seen people who pretend that they are more spiritual than other, but when they face even a small issue in their life, making lots of restlessness and problems
iii. - In trouble, my God
Lord never said that there won’t be any afflictions or any troubles for the children of God because of God is our refuge and strength
Ps: 34:19. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;
There is a two part in that verse: which part touch our mind
If you have a good umbrella then why should you bother about a rain. Think about Israel in wilderness, they have many troubles –
They said no food – Lord said I am your food They said no water – Lord said I am your water They said it is very hot in the day time – Lord said I will be the shade over you
They said no light in the night – Lord said I will be your light
They grumbled against God – they said no meat -
The life in Egypt came to their mind - oh we had friends there, we had a good social life, we had grocery stores there, Costco, HEB, Kroger, Sam’s Club, MacDonald’s, Chick file, good fast food restaurants, the taste of burger and pizza and fried chicken are in our mouth.
We are bored and tired of this lockdown life in the wilderness – and it be for forty years Lord said tomorrow by this time you will eat meat. They cried – they said; we are concern about our children; they all will die in the wilderness Lord said I will take them all to promise land
They said, Red Sea, the ways are closed– the doors are closed - no hope for future
Lord said I will open a new high way for you which you have never seen before
Ex: 14:13. Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again
If any of you are asking these questions in your mind during this lockdown (isolation) period – Lord says I am that I am with you
iv. An ever-present God.
Is there trouble- my God is there – because me and my God is one That’s what Jesus wishes in His prayer
Jn: 17:21. That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
If I am in trouble- my God is there God was there with Joseph in dungeon God was there with Moses when he left palace
God was there with three boys in the fire God was there with Daniel in the lion’s den
God was there with Paul in the prison God was there with John in Island Patmos
Ps: 139:8.11,12. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
v. An ever-present help in trouble
Gen: 2:18. The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Helper means – not a servant who comes to help in our home Here helper means - companion – became my companion by unbroken covenant - with lifelong commitment
The Lord is my lifelong companion and helper
The companion is the one in whom we can trust without any hesitation – or limitation or without feeling discomfort
In a danger situation if husband is with wife – or father is with daughter – being in a safe place we are protected – where? In my God
God is ever-present help
Here God is not a religious stuff – He is a part and parcel of my life
If I am a religious - I can meet him only Saturdays and Sundays. If God answer my prayer and meet my need, I say thank you If something happened bad in my life even though because of my mistake and foolishness then I question God. Because He is nobody to me
If God is a part of my daily life,
then I can feel his presence as a very present
Therefore, we will not fear,
though the earth gives way and the
mountains fall into the heart of the sea.