Tuesday, July 30, 2024
There is a river—its streams delight the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the Most High. God is within her; she will not be toppled. God will help her when the morning dawns. Nations rage, kingdoms topple; the earth melts when he lifts his voice. The Lord of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah Psalm 46:4-7 CSB6
7 When Nations Rage and Kingdoms Topple
Sanctuary
Do you ever just want to bury your head under the covers and ignore everything that is going on in your life? Problems come, sometimes like bullets fast and hard, leaving gaping holes in our souls. Often, we don’t have time to even process one thing when something else comes piling down on top – especially in the last several years. Trying to solve our problems when we don’t have any resources or hope of help will only add to our feelings of anxiety and sadness. It makes us feel more out of control, and more hopeless, which sends us spiraling further down into irrational thoughts, feelings, and fear. It is more than we can deal with, so we just don’t, but this doesn’t solve anything and is not healthy because it just continues to pile up. Whether it is just too painful to deal with, or you are afraid, our Heavenly Father offers us a beautiful, peaceful sanctuary in His very presence that gives us so much more peace than hiding under the covers.
The devil always wants to take our focus off God and create unrest in our souls. If he can create unrest in our souls, then he knows that we likely will start looking around for something to make us feel better. The things that we turn to quickly become idols and/or addictions in our lives. Living in fear or circumstances that are too difficult for us to deal with can cause us to turn to other things besides God to numb our pain or fear. What happens then? They turn into bigger problems which then heap fear and sorrow onto what we are already not dealing with.
We have the Lord of Armies with us. He is our stronghold when the nations rage and kingdoms topple. When chaos swirls around us, He is our calm and serene dwelling place. He is for us. He protects us and leads us through the chaos. The earth melts when He lifts His voice - He is all powerful - over any and every circumstances of our lives.
I have found that sitting in the quiet with God early in the morning has done wonders for my heart. Sometimes I don’t pray because many times I don’t even know what to say, but God know my heart, and He knows yours too. Sometimes my heart is so heavy, I can’t put it in words. This silent, still time helps me to get my focus back on God, and HIS TRUTH where it belongs. God’s truth is truly where we can find freedom from everything – pain, worry, anxiety, fear. If we try to find freedom on our own, we will never find it. The world doesn’t have it either, regardless of how hard Satan tries to persuade us it does.
The Peaceful, Flowing Presence of God
God’s presence in our lives is the only thing that can provide us with the peace we so desperately need. His presence flows continuously and never runs out. He will not abandon us or leave us, even when we feel He is not there. That is where we trust what we know and not what we feel. We know God’s word is true and He says He will never leave us and that His presence will always be with us.
No one understands our heart like our Heavenly Father. No one understands the pain, anxiousness, sorrow, worry, or fear that we experience like He does. Most of all, no one cares about us or loves us more than He does. There is no better place for us to go for comfort than to Him. In His presence there is a sanctuary where we can sit quietly, talk to Him and tell Him everything that makes our heart hurt, and leave it with Him. He is so capable, and He has everything we need.
Have you ever been to the river - any river? It us usually associated with lots of fun and relaxation. There may be floating on giant inner tubes. There may be skiing. There may be a boat. There will probably be food and drink and friends or family. Going to the river is a special thing. Something that most people don't do every day. It can be peaceful to just sit and take in the stillness of the water on a calm day.
God's presence in our lives is like that river, washing over us, cleansing us, calming us, refreshing us. Take a seat by the river. Take refuge in the shadow of His wings. Feast on His abundance, and rest in His truth – that He will take your sadness, problems, anger, fear, etc., and give you the help and peace you need.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalm 36:7-9
