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 its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.”
---Psalm 46:1-3
It’s been a tough twelve months in some ways. There have been visible joys too, and lots of them – new friendships, good times with the family, visiting new places, celebrations, hope for the future. But difficult undercurrents – sad farewells, disappointments, the suffering of loved ones, returning patterns of anxiety, struggles with prayer and devotions – have run right through it.
And this morning, remembering this one to be a friend’s favourite, I picked up a Bible and opened it to this psalm. Resisting the urge the sing the Dambusters theme tune, while struggling to focus on much at all first thing in the morning, I read these first few verses over and over.
This is a picture of a mighty refuge, an impenetrable fortress, strong in the face of absolute chaos. The highs and lows and comings and goings of our days, weeks, and years – however wonderful or distressing they may seem to us at the time – cannot shake the almighty strength of the Lord.
Whatever joys or disappointments we face, God is constant. It’s not a deep, ground-breaking reflection, just a simple reminder of the truth. Sometimes that’s all we can take in, but it’s more than enough to carry us.
