| No Fear! Part One In times of physical catastrophe in our lives or in our world, what is our response? Usually, it's "Why, God? Why me? Why us?" In contrast, God's Word says in times of physical catastrophe, "we will not fear" (Psalm 46:2). As you read Psalm 46:1-3, take the time to observe that the examples are all introduced with "though." "Though the earth should change, though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea." Referring to what? Though there may be an earthquake, and the ground moves beneath you. "Though its waters roar and foam . . ." That would have reference to a flood, a tsunami, a tidal wave, the waters from a swelling river after the snow melts, or the rain that doesn't stop falling. The psalmist goes further---another catastrophe. "Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride." An avalanche! That horrible moment of looking up and seeing the tons of snow and debris, ice and rock plunging toward you. Our response? Since God is our refuge, we will not fear. Why not? Let me repeat the promise, which makes our foundation firm. It's because the Lord our God is our chasah. He is our refuge, He is our strength (see Psalm 46:1). He's the rock. It surprises all of us, but it's no surprise to Him. Hear that, open theists. Hear that, all you who say that God is surprised by such events, having just discovered what has happened on this earth. (Give me a break!) Our God is in sovereign control of all the events of this earth. They occur exactly as He has planned or permitted them. Then how can I explain why bad things happen? How can I resolve the ringing question, "Why, God?" I did not say our Father has explained Himself. (How, in fact, can an infinite God ever explain Himself to finite people?) I said our Father has planned or permitted the events of this earth. He has no obligation to explain Himself. The Creator does not explain why to the created. It would be like a brilliant potter explaining himself to a mass of soft clay. Nothing surprises God. What puzzles us is permitted by our Lord, for reasons too profound to grasp. It is put together in the counsel of His own will so that it fits perfectly into His plan for His glory and for His purposes. As His servant, I say in response, "I will not fear. Though I don't understand it, I will not fear. Though You take something that's deeply significant to me, though You allow a catastrophe to strike, I will not fear. I will not blame, I will not doubt, and I will not question." There will be no out-of-control anxieties. Why? Because God is our refuge. There will be no exaggerated feelings of uneasiness, because God is our refuge. There will be no middle-of-the-night shakes. Why? Because God is our refuge. There will be no morning dread or evening desperation or lingering depression. Why? Because God is our refuge. Martin Luther connected those dots: And though this world with devils filled, The answer is not complicated. Selah. Pause. Rest easy. Don't expect life to make sense. Don't fear because surprises occur. Life is full of surprises, shocks, and insanities. While feeling disturbed one night over certain atrocities that were occurring in our nation, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. I got up, walked into my study, slumped into my leather chair, and stared at my shelves of books. The small lamp we leave lit through the night gave me enough light to read one title after another. Suddenly, my eyes shifted to my computer screen. I noticed an unopened e-mail message from a long-time friend who lives in Southern California. I clicked into it and was relieved. Among other things he asked a simple question: "Have you noticed the insights in Psalm 94:19?" Curious, I opened my Bible and read the verse: "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul." Talk about a selah moment! A surge of refreshing peace rushed through me. I was reminded once again of Him who, alone, is my refuge and strength. I returned to bed and slept soundly until dawn. 1. Luther, Martin. 1485-1546. 2. Excerpted from Why, God? Calming Words for Chaotic Times, Copyright © 2001 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. No Fear! Part Two In Part One, we talked about God's sovereign control over physical catastrophes. But there is more, much more, in Psalm 46. What about warfare? All Hebrews looked upon Jerusalem, especially in those days, as "the city of God" (46:4). The psalmist imagines a river that flows into the channels that irrigate the soil. He pictures in his mind's eye the crops and plants that grow there in that desert-like region, thanks to the flowing water. He calls the city the "holy dwelling places of the Most High" (v. 4). And again God emerges as paramount . . . God is the star of the event. "God is in the midst of her," he exclaims. "God," verse five continues, "will help her when morning dawns" (when the attack comes from the enemy). See how he puts it? When "the nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered" (v. 6). It's the picture of the Assyrians, the Egyptians, and the other enemies as they would come in and tromp over Israel with heavy boots, assaulting and attempting to blast her into nonexistence. But it never happened. Why? Because of her refuge. God is in the midst of her. And the result is this: "She will not be moved" (v. 5). We are not moved either. We are not moved; even though we may have endured an assault that was damaging, we have no reason to fear or to be moved. Verse seven says, "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah" When atrocities occur in our nation or around the world, your tendency is to read the news more than you read your Bible. We know the faces of the newscasters on CNN better than we know the inspired and encouraging words in the Psalms. And because that is true we forget, "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold" (v. 7). How can I be sure? Verse eight announces, "Come." It says, in effect, "Come here, psst, come here . . . come here." It's an invitation asking us to go back into history. Return to another time, a former era. Blow the dust off your memory. Behold the works of the LORD, He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; Those accounts of God's former deliverance are all written in the chronicles of history. You can read them for yourself. Consider our own nation's history, beginning with the Revolutionary War. You'll get renewed courage all over again. You'll hear George Washington quoting verses of Scripture like a preacher in a pulpit. You will read incredible statements of faith from other political leaders from that era right on into the Civil War. The speeches of our national leaders were shaped with words about the Living God. How do you think Lincoln kept his senses in a time like that? He had the most unenviable presidential experience in the history of our nation. But he was not moved. And he did not fear, thanks to his numerous selah moments. Selah. God says, "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" (v. 10). As the psalmist ends this section, he makes the same statement as when he concluded the psalm: "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah." We will not fear, though catastrophes occur. We will not be moved, though we are at war. Why? Because God---the omnipotent, all-powerful, magnificent God---is our refuge and strength. Excerpted from Why, God? Calming Words for Chaotic Times, Copyright © 2001 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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