Thursday, January 14, 2016

EmmDev 2016-01-14 [Faith in Tough Times] When it rumbles #2

When it rumbles #2

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah      (Psalms46:4-7)
Psalm 46 is a reminder that God is our refuge and strength - a very present help IN trouble. The thought of God being our fortress is echoed twice more in the Psalm, each time with the word 'Selah' (more on this interesting word in a few days time...)
  • But how do we find strength IN the midst of trouble?
  • How can we triumph over the fear that the "rumblings" bring?
  • How can we protect our hearts and souls from being hijacked by shaking mountains and surging oceans?

By going to the river.

But wait-a-minute! Jerusalem doesn't have a river!
So how can a river "make glad the city of God"?
Well... Jerusalem doesn't have a normal river, but Ezekiel 47 describes the river of God's Spirit that flows from the temple and, while Psalm 46 pre-dates Ezekiel, the idea of God's people experiencing God's presence and comfort in worship is not new. Think about barren Hannah going to the tabernacle in Shiloh to pour out her heart to God and receiving the promise of a son she would call Samuel. Or what about Isaiah going into the temple for comfort when the great king Uzziah died and receiving comfort, a call and a commission there? And then there's Hezekiah who spread out Sennacherib's threatening letter before the Lord in the temple...

Coming to the place of worship does three important things for us:

  1. It reminds us that God is greater than the things we fear. (He lifts His voice, the earth melts)
  2. It reminds us of God's faithfulness in the past (God will help her at the break of day - there are so many stories of God delivering His people)
  3. It reminds us that we are in relationship with God and that He is near to us. (The LORD Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress.)

Worship (and I don't just mean singing) is a key to overcoming fear. When we come to worship (and it's not about the building) we are dipping our toes, wading or swimming in the river of God (go and look at Ezekiel 47) and we find strength, courage, comfort and peace.


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