Corona Devo 19
Well, I caught up on the world news yesterday, which sort of gave me a bellyache. I know that the Corona cycle of things will take time (how much?), and I know that the state of things is poor, but geez, it is almost sickening to listen to all that they tell you on the news.
It’s no secret that our world, and we, are in trouble. The “trouble” may be physical, or emotional, or relational, or mental, or spiritual, but (unfortunately) I think it is a fair assessment that people across the globe are in trouble right now as we face the Coronavirus and its effects on all of these levels.
But the Lord is here. Psalm 46 brings us truth and comfort that can strengthen us today.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
The Bible states things very simply, and sometimes it’s so easy that we miss parts of it. Please don’t miss the first word (and main point) of this verse: God.
Is the vaccine our refuge and strength?
Is having enough groceries and toilet paper our refuge and strength?
Is having a job to go to, or paycheck in the mail our refuge and strength?
None of these things, or any of the other tangent idols that we create for ourselves will provide lasting peace. God is our refuge and strength. ~Psalm 46:1
Refuge means shelter or protection from danger; a haven, hide-away, sanctuary. Take a minute to soak up that image of the Lord for each of us. He is our haven –a wonderful place and person that we can escape to and relax with and rest in, during this season of Corona questions and anxieties. The Lord is peace and comfort and a sanctuary for us. When we really get into His Word, and allow His Word to get into us, we experience this sense of refuge.
God is our...strength ~Psalm 46:1
Is the latest news report our strength?
Is Dr. Fauci or the President our strength?
Are your emotions and current mood your strength?
None of these things, or the long list of other options like it are a true source for us to gain strength from. Only one thing gives our spirit, body and mind strength, and that is God.
...an ever-present help in trouble. ~Psalm 46:1
In our fear and anxiousness, and when we feel imprisoned by the unknown outcomes of the Coronavirus, we tend to run around (in our minds), wondering where God is? And His word reminds us that he is right here. He is ever-present.
When we are frantic, He is present with us.
When we are lonely, He is present with us.
When we are angry and bothered by all of this: He is present with us.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
I feel like if a poet were to try and capture the state of our world as it is being affected by the Coronavirus right now, they could write it exactly in these words. The earth feels like it is giving way. Our mountains (economy, countries, people) are falling into the heart of the sea. The “waters” around us (freedom to go to the grocery store, family relationships, the state of our K-12 educational structure) are ABSOLUTELY roaring and foaming and causing mountains to quake with their surging.
I am quaking. Are you?
Figuring out schedules at home with adults doing their jobs online and children doing online school. Figuring out dwindling groceries in my pantry and freezer when I don’t want risk going to the store physically, and the delivery services are 4 days backed up. Having everyone at home all the time has blessings, but it makes me quake from time to time as well. Anyone else? Or maybe you are home alone, without anyone else during this Corona time.
All of these things pull at our sanity and emotional stability, but BEFORE they are listed in this verse, and BEFORE we fall prey to the quaking and surging, read the first part of the verse: Therefore we will not fear ~Psalm 46:10. And the “therefore” refers to the First Truth that God gives us in verse 1: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Yes, all of these things are happening around us, and within us, but God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (~Psalm 46:1), and we will not fear (10).
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
There is such strength and power in these words. 7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. If the state of the world and the Corona-circus are overwhelming you, remember that we are not called to put our hope in mere humans, or in an idea. Take hope and strength in the truth (God’s word is true) that The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. God is our fortress. He protects our minds from worrying-if we let Him. Give Him the worry and fears. He is our fortress and stronghold, and in a world of unknowns: He knows us and loves us, and seeks to be known by us.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
You may have heard this verse before (Be still, and know that I am God), but not many of us had lived it before the Corona stay-at-home orders.
Being still is hard. Hard for adults, hard for kids, hard for most people. But never once in the Bible do I remember Jesus truly connecting with someone by hopping on the treadmill (of life) next to them, and trying to share his teachings and love and forgiveness while they both panted and were trying to focus on other things at the same time.
Nope, Jesus called His disciples away, and often alone to talk to them and teach them. He actually asked His disciples to leave their jobs and “follow Him”. And do you know what? They did! They caught a glimpse of the power and authority of Jesus and they wanted more of it.
I don’t think Jesus is asking us to quit our jobs, but circumstances have altered the physical time we spend at work (or anywhere) lately. So we may have more “space” in our day to meet with the Lord.
He (has always) called us to slow down and be alone with Him to teach us His ways and His love for us. But it can’t happen (fully) when we are half-way because of busyness and distractions in our lives. It seems to me like now is the perfect time to engage with Him, and to perhaps be more intentional about it than ever before.
11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
I love how God doesn’t want us to miss who is with us and protecting us like a “fortress”. He already stated this (word for word) in verse 7, and He lays it down one more time so that we don’t miss the comfort, the strength, the truth of His presence with us every day, and especially right now when we need Him day to day during the Corona uncertainty.
There is something that is for certain: The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. ~Psalm 46:11
Here’s hoping that we can accept the truth that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1) and that we can try and “Be still” and know Him just for today.
Blessings,
sarah
It’s no secret that our world, and we, are in trouble. The “trouble” may be physical, or emotional, or relational, or mental, or spiritual, but (unfortunately) I think it is a fair assessment that people across the globe are in trouble right now as we face the Coronavirus and its effects on all of these levels.
But the Lord is here. Psalm 46 brings us truth and comfort that can strengthen us today.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
The Bible states things very simply, and sometimes it’s so easy that we miss parts of it. Please don’t miss the first word (and main point) of this verse: God.
Is the vaccine our refuge and strength?
Is having enough groceries and toilet paper our refuge and strength?
Is having a job to go to, or paycheck in the mail our refuge and strength?
None of these things, or any of the other tangent idols that we create for ourselves will provide lasting peace. God is our refuge and strength. ~Psalm 46:1
Refuge means shelter or protection from danger; a haven, hide-away, sanctuary. Take a minute to soak up that image of the Lord for each of us. He is our haven –a wonderful place and person that we can escape to and relax with and rest in, during this season of Corona questions and anxieties. The Lord is peace and comfort and a sanctuary for us. When we really get into His Word, and allow His Word to get into us, we experience this sense of refuge.
God is our...strength ~Psalm 46:1
Is the latest news report our strength?
Is Dr. Fauci or the President our strength?
Are your emotions and current mood your strength?
None of these things, or the long list of other options like it are a true source for us to gain strength from. Only one thing gives our spirit, body and mind strength, and that is God.
...an ever-present help in trouble. ~Psalm 46:1
In our fear and anxiousness, and when we feel imprisoned by the unknown outcomes of the Coronavirus, we tend to run around (in our minds), wondering where God is? And His word reminds us that he is right here. He is ever-present.
When we are frantic, He is present with us.
When we are lonely, He is present with us.
When we are angry and bothered by all of this: He is present with us.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
I feel like if a poet were to try and capture the state of our world as it is being affected by the Coronavirus right now, they could write it exactly in these words. The earth feels like it is giving way. Our mountains (economy, countries, people) are falling into the heart of the sea. The “waters” around us (freedom to go to the grocery store, family relationships, the state of our K-12 educational structure) are ABSOLUTELY roaring and foaming and causing mountains to quake with their surging.
I am quaking. Are you?
Figuring out schedules at home with adults doing their jobs online and children doing online school. Figuring out dwindling groceries in my pantry and freezer when I don’t want risk going to the store physically, and the delivery services are 4 days backed up. Having everyone at home all the time has blessings, but it makes me quake from time to time as well. Anyone else? Or maybe you are home alone, without anyone else during this Corona time.
All of these things pull at our sanity and emotional stability, but BEFORE they are listed in this verse, and BEFORE we fall prey to the quaking and surging, read the first part of the verse: Therefore we will not fear ~Psalm 46:10. And the “therefore” refers to the First Truth that God gives us in verse 1: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Yes, all of these things are happening around us, and within us, but God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (~Psalm 46:1), and we will not fear (10).
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
There is such strength and power in these words. 7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. If the state of the world and the Corona-circus are overwhelming you, remember that we are not called to put our hope in mere humans, or in an idea. Take hope and strength in the truth (God’s word is true) that The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. God is our fortress. He protects our minds from worrying-if we let Him. Give Him the worry and fears. He is our fortress and stronghold, and in a world of unknowns: He knows us and loves us, and seeks to be known by us.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
You may have heard this verse before (Be still, and know that I am God), but not many of us had lived it before the Corona stay-at-home orders.
Being still is hard. Hard for adults, hard for kids, hard for most people. But never once in the Bible do I remember Jesus truly connecting with someone by hopping on the treadmill (of life) next to them, and trying to share his teachings and love and forgiveness while they both panted and were trying to focus on other things at the same time.
Nope, Jesus called His disciples away, and often alone to talk to them and teach them. He actually asked His disciples to leave their jobs and “follow Him”. And do you know what? They did! They caught a glimpse of the power and authority of Jesus and they wanted more of it.
I don’t think Jesus is asking us to quit our jobs, but circumstances have altered the physical time we spend at work (or anywhere) lately. So we may have more “space” in our day to meet with the Lord.
He (has always) called us to slow down and be alone with Him to teach us His ways and His love for us. But it can’t happen (fully) when we are half-way because of busyness and distractions in our lives. It seems to me like now is the perfect time to engage with Him, and to perhaps be more intentional about it than ever before.
11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
I love how God doesn’t want us to miss who is with us and protecting us like a “fortress”. He already stated this (word for word) in verse 7, and He lays it down one more time so that we don’t miss the comfort, the strength, the truth of His presence with us every day, and especially right now when we need Him day to day during the Corona uncertainty.
There is something that is for certain: The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. ~Psalm 46:11
Here’s hoping that we can accept the truth that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1) and that we can try and “Be still” and know Him just for today.
Blessings,
sarah
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