https://esv.literalword.com/?q=psalm+46
Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 17 November 2024:
Psalm 46:1-3 — 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. Selah
Often worldly advice to deal with worry and anxiety is to ignore what is going on around you, or to think positively and surround yourself with positive people who will constantly encourage you that things will get better. However, the approach the psalmist takes is to acknowledge the serious issues of life – “though the earth gives way…,” to stare it in the face, and then to place that reality within the context of an even bigger reality – “God is our refuge, a very present help in trouble.” Where is God helpful? In trouble. In times of trouble, we can go into denial, we can go into despair, or we can go into distress. But God tells us to dwell in the house of the LORD, where we can rest safely, no matter what is going on. We must hold onto what we know about the character of our God and what He has promised.
Psalm 46:10, 11 — Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Relax. God is God, and He is with you and will protect you. Be still and be stable, immovable in your confidence in the Lord – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
“Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling. Perseverance is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our hero is going to be conquered. Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated. Also, our fear is that the very things our Lord stood for— love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men— will not win out in the end and will represent an unattainable goal for us. Then there is the call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated.” (Oswald Chambers)
If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified. Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God. He brings fulfillment, “because you have kept My command to persevere…” (Revelation 3:10).
Continue to persevere spiritually.
More from Henry T. Blackaby:
“Be still – and know – that I AM God! … the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:10,11).
“Our minds are active and at times racing; our lives often are lived at a frantic pace; our families are at times overly active; and, in our marriages, too we often cannot find enough time even for each other. The pace at work can increase to weariness, and even our church calendars are too full of activities in which we are expected to participate. Even the television news is too fast-paced, so we can’t take it in.
God knows our tendencies to always be ‘doing something’! We hear people urging us, ‘Don’t just stand there!’ God, however, wants to say to us: ‘Don’t just do something, stand there! Concentrate! Meditate! Think! Pursue and consider carefully! Lie down ‘in green pastures’ that I provide for you (Psalm 23), and rest a while. Take time — in quietness!
The prophet Isaiah knew the power and strength in being still when he said to God’s people, ‘… for thus saith the LORD GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength….”’ (Isaiah 30:15).
The army calls this ‘R&R’ (rest and relaxation) and mandates it for an overall better performance. It gives strength back, and refreshes for further battles. Are you building some spiritual R&R into your life? Into your schedule for your personal life? Into your family? Into your workplace? Into your church? Stillness! Quietness! And rest!
Do you take time for ‘thinking through’ situations in your life? Or do you continue to rush from one situation to another, hoping things will just all work themselves out? Do you meditate with God on His goodness, His faithfulness, His mercy and His grace in your life? When you do, great encouragement and great energizing will come to your life. Do you take this kind of intentional caring toward your family, your co-workers and even your fellow church members?
God still calls us to do just that. Be still — and know God!”
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 17 November 2024: Resolve not to get worried about news, politics, and the craziness of life around you. Rather, “be still,” and trust God. When others start talking about politics or all the worries of the world, talk about Jesus and the Ways of God. Proclaim the truth in love and remain calm. Remind people that only Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only true hope for peace and unity. (Psalm 46)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 