6 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Psalm 46:1-11
Proverbs 22:15
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Psalm 46:1 (NLT): “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
Reflections from Scripture:
If the New Testament letters are primarily directed at the mind of the God-follower, then Psalms is directed at the heart of the God-follower.
The New Testament letters tend to focus on what is objectively true. On the other hand, the Psalms deal with what is subjectively felt.
This is one of the blessings of reading the book of Psalms. It’s rugged. It’s real. Its language sometimes makes us cringe. Yet, it asks the same questions and struggles with the same issues that we often have in our own lives.
Further, it is comforting to know that while the psalmists periodically questioned God and sometimes expressed their exasperation at what He was or was not doing, we are also told that one of the writers was “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).
So, when we read passages like Psalm 46:1, we realize that it’s not simply theory. It’s not untested truth. It is something that the writer has experienced. He knows it to be truthful, and the words are coming from his heart.
He had been in times of trouble, and God had been a “refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
What about you, friend? Have you experienced God’s love and provision when life got tough? He is the same God that He was when the Psalmist pinned this verse (Hebrew 13:8).
Maybe you need to spend more time in prayer, “giv(ing) all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). Maybe you need to ask the Lord to increase your faith and open your eyes so that you can see what He is doing in and around you, even as He allows the trials to continue.
But even if you cannot make sense of it, God has not changed. He is your refuge and strength! And He loves you so much that He would rather die (on the cross) than spend eternity without you. So rest in Him today.
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for being my refuge and for being my helper in times of trouble. However, Lord, I’m being transparent when I say that I don’t always look to You in those difficult times. I sometimes fix my eyes on the difficulty and get overwhelmed. Please give me the grace to be honest with life’s hardships while finding such comfort in Your care and provision. But, all that being said, I can’t wait to be with You one day in a place where sin and sin’s curse will never be experienced again. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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