God Is Our Refuge and Strength (Psalm 46)
By Ps Alby Yip
The world just reeled in utter horror on the recent landslide and flash floods that happened in the Tibet/Nepal border. The tragedy was made even more strikingly fearsome owing to the many captured videos that swept buildings, trucks, cars and many more precious human lives away. Many may not even know what killed them.
As we later come to know, many were Christians, in fact, affiliated through our missions efforts. But Christians or not, every of those lives is precious; to their families, and more so in the sight of God. Many questions may be asked in times like these. Equally many theories and explanations may be offered on the topic of suffering.
While some of these may help, personally, I still am convinced that the true and sure source of comfort can only come from the Maker of heaven and earth Himself. I believe Psalm 46 is that window that offer us a glimpse of that.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give 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.”
God does not promise a storm-free life. The Bible does not hide suffering from us. It tells us that the earth like what we read in the news, can give way. The mountains is literally moved into the heart of the sea. The waters can roar and the mountains tremble. If we think closely about it, most of our lives are as unstable as what happened in Nepal.
Unimaginable things can happen to us without warning. For many people, their health was taken away overnight. Their hearts tremble. Their legs wobble. The family broken apart. Even the bank account has lots of zeros, but no numeral before them.
That is why Psalm 46 is so powerful: it does not deny the disaster. More importantly, it declares God’s presence in the middle of it. It reminds us that God is present in the midst of our disaster. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
It is a reminder and assurance that God is a refuge, especially, when human strength is not enough. That is why Psalm 46 ends with these very comforting statements: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
In the chaos of disaster news, God calls His people to quiet trust. Not because the pain is small, but because He is greater than the pain. Life may bring many reminders of frailty, but it also brings the deepening hope that our times are in God’s hands. The Lord who has carried us through the past will carry us still.
Let us remember that the God who calmed the storm is still our refuge. And let us hold on to this promise: when the waters rise, God is still present; when hearts break, God is still faithful; when life feels uncertain, God is still in control.
