Sunday, October 01, 2023

Psalm 46 ~ God is in the midst

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Selah

4 There is a river

whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah

I was looking at Social Media today. Who is upset? People are very upset with those who are rude. Social media with jump on that like white on rice. And they are upset if you don't adopt their opinions. Or if you are a minimalist. If you are Christian and talk about the Church, badly or well. The discussions can suddenly make you wonder who you are speaking with. Goodness or Dark. And as they argue, they flash, light to dark or dark to light. Or if you brag. If you are political. Or if you help someone out. Or if you don't help except to offer judgement.

Comment on the loss of childhood from the 80s and 90s, now inside entertainment is pervasive. The need for income. The lack of gracious, easy life. But life has been sliding away from gracious time to parent and have backyard cook outs. There might be a good reason, Bam, we have to face the direction life is being shuffled to. Like the end of Gift Shops. Wedding Registry Shops. The end of Toy Stores. Child Castration discussions.

People are very vocal about their unhappiness with the shape of the nation. And the problems we all face. Talk about fading friendships and isolation. And offer to barb each other with comments to fall over.

Wildlife groups explaining how to rescue wildlife in need of immediate help. Wildlife groups who are kind about having alternative solutions to problems. Like people who believe cats should be allowed outside with a jingle collar on. And will hear about problems in NYC and Chicago with massive, scary rodent populations.

And then there are the groups that have no one clapping for them.

Who pray for each other. Talk about helping the homeless, do help the homeless and know who they are speaking about, with details. Help out a child having a birthday, they never met. Offer supplies to someone rescuing an animal. Offer shelter to an animal that has been abandoned. Foster an animal. Help give advice to homeowners on something broken. Offer experience and comfort.

You can see why God would enjoy us. And laugh. And frown. But He is not worried. His Plan will prevail.

God is a safe place to hide,

ready to help when we need him.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Yes, We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,

courageous in seastorm and earthquake,

Before the rush and roar of oceans,

the tremors that shift mountains.

Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,

God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

We will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Selah

4 There is a river

whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

4-6 River fountains splash joy,

blessing God’s city,

this sacred of the Most High.

God lives here, the streets are safe,

God at your service from crack of dawn.

Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,

but Earth does anything He says.

8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!

He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,

Bans war from pole to pole,

breaks all the weapons across his knee.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,

how He has brought desolations on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

“Step out of the congestion, the traffic! Take a long,

loving look at me, your High God,

above politics, above everything.”

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The Lord of hosts

is with us;

the God of Jacob

is our fortress.

Selah

Luke 1

16 And He will

turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,

17 and He will

go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah,

to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,

and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,

to make ready

for the Lord

a people prepared.

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them

and said,

"With man this is impossible,

but with God all things are possible."

1 Thessalonians 3:13

So that He may establish your hearts

without blame

in holiness

before our God

and Father

at the coming of our Lord Jesus

with all His saints.

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit

within me.

Ezekiel 36:26

Moreover, I will give you a new heart

and put a new spirit within you;

and I will remove the heart of stone

from your flesh

and give you a heart of flesh.

Deuteronomy 30:6

“Moreover

The Lord your God will circumcise your heart

and the heart of your descendants,

to love the Lord

your God

with all your heart

and with

all your soul,

so that you may live.