‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. Come, see the glorious works of the Lord : See how he brings destruction upon the world. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it. A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.’ Psalms 46:1-11(NLT)
Hezekiah the king faces an imminent calamity that causes dread and fear in everyone’s hearts. The danger that they are experiencing is sudden and terrible. Imagine receiving terrible news as you are going about your day–news of a loved one in the hospital, or loss of a job, or a child in trouble, or a crisis back home. When trouble strikes, our world falls apart, our hearts sink, emotions plunge, and we are thrown into chaos.
Are you afraid?
How is it possible to be calm, courageous, and confident in the midst of such fears? The Psalmist reminds us of the promises of God.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. God Himself is in our midst to protect and preserve us. If God is for us, who or what can be against us?
Where do we get the confidence to overcome this kind of fear? The Psalmist calls for us to be still and know that He is God. He calls us to cease from striving and panic. Knowing God intimately keeps us still. And it is when we are still that we begin to know and experience the power of God.
In 1 John 4:18, the Bible says that perfect love casts out all fear. And in Romans 8, Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We experience the full extent of God’s love in Christ Jesus. He was thrown into the darkest hour and was abandoned in His greatest trouble. Why? It was because of His deep love for us. Jesus did not flinch during His greatest fears so that I can experience His love during my worst fears. The perfect, constant, and loyal love of Christ casts out all fear. Our Father in heaven who loves you is now by your side because of what Jesus has done on the cross as your substitute.
from Psalms: Dealing with Difficult Emotions