Tuesday, January 26, 2021
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. Psalm 46:1-3
Searching For Security In A Crumbling World
Where do you find security? We may not like to admit it but we tend to find security in the things in our lives that are always there - things we can "count on" being there. Our homes and family, our jobs, our church, social media, and our friends are just a few examples of places in our lives that we routinely look to for security. These places and the people associated with them provide security through support, love, comfort, and consistency. We know we can go to church and worship, study the Bible, and have fellowship. We know we can go to work and get paid and pay our bills. We know we can find comfort, support and love from our friends(even online only acquaintances) and family. We find security in other things too - things that we know will be there - like going to the store. We find security when things are the way they are supposed to be in our minds.
This past year, our world has changed and some of the things we always counted on have been temporarily/permanently put-on hold or closed. What has not been closed is so different that it still doesn’t quite feel right. Kids may not have loved school, but they knew that every morning, Monday thru Friday, they would get up and go to school. That provided them with a sense of security. We drove by lots of businesses that we never went into, but we knew that they would be there and we would see them open and functioning on our way to work every day. We knew we could go to the store anytime we needed or wanted to. We could see loved ones and go visit friends and family whenever we wanted to. All these things provide us with a sense of security.
Without even realizing it, we find great security in going through the motions and when things get shook up, we cling to what is normal. But when normal is no longer normal, we can quickly find ourselves fighting a fear we cannot control. All the normal, consistent things in our lives are not normal or consistent anymore, and the things we found security in have been threatened or are completely gone. Some lost jobs. For a while schools, churches, and even parks were closed. Sadly we have lost many beloved friends and family as well. Add some political and social tension on top of everything else. We have made ourselves believe (with the help of media) that the things we thought would never happen can and might really happen.
Nearing a year since all this started, we are realizing that some of these changes are permanent and we are reaching for something to steady us. We are searching for security, and we are tired and weary of feeling threatened, confused, and hopeless. All this has reminded people of what the most important things are in life, but we need another reminder. We need to be reminded that while everything around us is temporary, our God is permanent. There is no virus that can change Him. He will not social distance from us and He will never shut His door to us. He is our refuge and our strength in this unsettling time, just as He is always.
Psalm 46 is a psalm about finding a secure place in the midst of insecure times.
This psalm is the reminder we need today to remember that God is our refuge and strength. We also need to remind ourselves every single day of all the wonderful things that God has done for us in the past. He has been there. He has delivered. He is in all our tomorrows. He works things for our good, even if it isn’t exactly the way we thought things would turn out.
Whether something is actually dangerous or not, it’s the perception of it as dangerous that matters. So whether things are as bad as we feel they are, we are still affected by our perception. This is exactly why we must remember what we know. We must remind ourselves what the bible says about God and we must remember the way He has worked in our lives before.
It is imperative to consider the problems of today in light of the provision of yesterday to know power and peace. -Van Houser
Cling to Him because He is our permanent source of security. Look back at your life and the lives of those around you. Remember what He has done and trust Him with what He is doing now. Even in the midst of chaos, He protects, He delivers, and He provides. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
