Devotional for Thursday March 5th

Our theme for this month: “Confidence”

Our Bible verse for today: “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “God is your refuge and strength.”

Psalm 46 is not only a source of great assurance for those faced with difficult circumstances, but it’s also a confidence-builder. Let’s take a closer look at it:

In verse one the Psalmist reminds us that even in times of trouble (maybe especially in times of trouble) the Lord is our refuge and our strength. That means that we’re not dependent on others or even on ourselves for protection and strength. God’s got your back!

Then in verses two through nine the Psalmist recites a list of examples of the kinds of dangerous and fearful circumstances a person could find themselves in. He writes of earthquakes and storms, of raging seas, riots, and wars. But then in verse ten he gives some of the best advice Scripture has to offer: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

That’s it, “Just be still, be quiet, and remember who I am.” He is the God who reigns supreme over all creation. He is the God who placed the stars in the sky, filled the sea with fish, and He hung the sun and the moon. This is the God who parted the Red Sea, raised Jesus from the dead, and numbered all the days of your life even before the first one began. He is the God who hears the cry of a newborn baby and sees a single sparrow when it falls from the sky. And He is the God who is sovereign over every event in your life. Not only does He rule over all the events of your life, but He is aware of them and He has complete control over them.

So your confidence should not be in your own abilities or in the resources available to you; and it also should not be in other people. Your confidence should be in the Lord.

The Psalmist ends us in verse 11 where he started us in verse 1, with the assurance that God is always with us and He is our protector, “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Amen and Amen.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim