The New Templeનમૂનો

“God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” – Psalm 46:1-3

In these devotionals, we have been considering what it means to achieve “restoration.” It can be hard to internalize a lot of what we hear and it is difficult to make it practical for our lives. So many verses talk about enduring hard seasons and growing in our faith, but what does that look like practically, and where does that start in our lives? Psalm 46 gives us some insight into that.

God is not just absently witnessing our trials and tribulation, but according to this verse He is “ever-present.” When you succeed, He’s there, when you fall, He’s there, when you want to give up and can’t go any further, He’s there! God is with us no matter what, and He cares for us.

We often don’t recognize the power of God’s presence in our lives. Think about a person that you feel very safe around. How does that person help you? Oftentimes they don’t have to DO anything, we just feel better when they are around. In a human context, we can understand that someone’s simple presence can be comforting to us. Imagine how much more God can comfort you by just knowing He’s there. A God powerful enough to name the stars is present in YOUR trials, no matter how big or small! He is your refuge and your strength.

What do we do to know God is with us? In the same chapter as the passage above, God gave one instruction that can help:

“Be still and know that I am God...” --Psalm 46:10

In our searching, we are often missing the God that is ALREADY with us. Remembering God’s presence can give us a better understanding of what restoration truly means through the ever loving and powerful presence of our Creator.

Reflection:

When have you felt God’s presence in your life? Have you ever had an experience in which you felt like God was near to you? Perhaps in nature, while worshiping, or while seeing an answered prayer? How can remembering these moments encourage us when we can’t “feel” God around us?

Other Verses to Consider:

-Psalm 145:18

-Hebrews 11:6

-Matthew 11:28