Psalm
46
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
In the late 1970’s I traveled to Europe with a
Christian basketball team sponsored by an organization called “News Release.” Our
mission was to spend five weeks or so traveling through Europe playing games
and sharing the gospel in a variety of ways. The organization’s European headquarters was in
Geneva, Switzerland, so that’s where we spent the first few days of the trip.
Geneva is a wonderful city but our accommodations were quite unusual. We didn’t stay in a hotel or even a youth
hostel; we slept in a bomb shelter. It was a World War II era underground bomb
shelter made of concrete and steel. It was kind of like sleeping in a cave;
extremely quiet and when the lights were turned off it was so dark you couldn’t see your hand if you held it right
in front of your face. It was creepy and fun at the same time; and I’ve never slept so well in my whole
life!
Evidently, the Swiss government
built a number of those bomb shelters during the 1940‘s to provide safety even though Switzerland was not
directly involved in the war.
I find it very interesting that
thousands of families in America are purchasing pre-fabricated underground
shelters every year. Dozens of manufacturers offer shelters guaranteed to
protect against everything from nuclear war to natural disaster to economic
collapse to a zombie apocalypse. These products range in price from around
$20,000 to several million dollars depending on size and amenities.
In a way I understand the idea of
investing in an underground shelter so that, in the event of a global catastrophe,
you and your family could have a safe place to hide. On the other hand, I
wonder what kind of world or what kind of existence would be left for those who
do manage to survive such a holocaust?
The writer of Psalm 46 is clear
about where he finds safety:
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
This psalm was most likely written
in response to a great battle in which the armies of Israel faced what seemed
to be an insurmountable foe but, with God’s help, achieved a dramatic victory.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Why can we have such faith, such
confidence, even when circumstances appear hopeless and bleak? The writer
continues:
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Scholars believe
there are two meanings to this verse. The “river whose streams make glad the city of God” is likely a reference to either the
river Kidron, which ran by Jerusalem; or to the waters of Shiloh, which
branched off and ran through the city supplying water to its inhabitants.
Secondly, and in a more spiritual sense, the river is symbolic of the grace and
salvation of God that is promised in the “New Jerusalem”, or heaven itself.
None of us know
what the future holds; and everyday we see news that confirms that our world is
a scary and unpredictable place. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with taking
reasonable steps to provide safety for our loved ones. But, ultimately, our
place of safety is not in an underground concrete bunker, but in the promise of
salvation that we have in our God.
Lord God,
thank you for the provision of salvation you have offered through your son,
Jesus Christ. Forgive us for looking for safety and security in our own
strength and ingenuity. Use your word to remind us that our only true refuge is
in you. Amen.
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