June 27 Reflection

Reading - Psalm 46-48

Reflection Text - Psalm 46:1-2

Some thoughts:

1. "God is..." - after this weekend's sermon, I had to stop here and just acknowledge that no matter what precedes or follows these words, they simply and powerfully speak of a reality that undergirds it all. The creator IS. The redeemer IS. The One who makes the impossible possible IS. Faith believes in this reality even when God seems absent. How does the fundamental nature of God have room in your life?

2. "...our refuge, strength, a present help in trouble." - God is the place we can go when we just need to hide or seek shelter. God is also our strength to stand in our place no matter what kind of arrows are thrown our way. And when trouble comes, God is not distant but instead PRESENT. Present = a gift. When trouble assails me, God gifts me with His self.

3. "Therefore we will not fear." - What a powerful, simple declaration. The psalmists are saying "therefore" or "because of what I just said..." Because God IS, because God is strength, refuge and help, WE WILL NOT FEAR. Fear then becomes a reality, when not acknowledged or surrendered to God honestly, that emerges because of a lack of confidence in God's primal identity. Fear is real and not something to deny or gloss over but it is not a place that God wants us to linger in because doing so becomes a denial of God's power to embolden, to give courage and to move.

4. "Though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea." - What if the way we saw the world (church, family, job, income, success, etc.) changed one day? What if all that we knew was thrown into the sea? The poets are saying "EVEN THEN, we will not fear."

God, EVEN WHEN ________________, I will not fear. Ok, maybe I will a bit. But my heart's desire is to get to a place in my relationship with you where fear does not grip me, numb me or keep me from all that you have for me. Be near O God.