“The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; The God of Israel is our fortress.” Psalm 46:7,11 (NLT)
Psalm 46 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It begins, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” Then the narrative turns dark: the earthquakes, mountains crumble into the sea, oceans roar and foam, waters surge, mountains tremble, nations are in chaos, and kingdoms crumble. It doesn’t get much worse than this.
We don’t have to look far to note the psalmist’s world is much like ours. Stories of floods, fires, earthquakes, ravaging storms, political crises, corruption, malice, and struggles for power dominate the news. Our world appears to be running amuck. So where is God in all of this?
The Psalmist reminds us God hasn’t stepped away from His throne. It’s as if he cuts away from the action, turns the lens upward, and exclaims, “But wait! The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us!” Suddenly, the dynamics have radically changed. Hope has stepped into the picture.
David responded to Goliath’s taunts with a similar declaration. “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45). David claimed victory before the battle even began, not because of his fighting skills but because he grasped this critical truth; this was not his battle, it was God’s.
I’m not sure what struggles you might be facing today. Perhaps it’s relational. Maybe it’s your job or lack of a job. Perhaps your world just capsized. Perhaps you lost someone you loved, or you’ve just been handed a pink slip. Your situation might not make sense to you right now. Yet it is precisely when circumstances loom larger than life that we must step into His power. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is right here, right now, an ever-present help in times of trouble. There is no foe, no problem, no struggle that is too big for Him. Step into position behind Him and allow Him to lead the charge.
Prayer: Lord, the struggle is real. I a world filled with so much chaos, we need to be constantly reminded that you are here, among us, and fighting for us. That battle up ahead? You’ve already declared victory. That giant looming before me? He’s nothing but a pebble under your foot. Lord, every time I am tempted to give way to fear today, whisper in my ear, “But wait!”
Thought: It’s not the size of your battle that matters, but the size of the One who is fighting for you.