God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. That's the verse of the day from YouVersion. Lots of Christians know this verse, even if they aren't aware of knowing it. Martin Luther's hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" comes from the Psalm containing that line. But even with the hymn, even with Christians singing the song, how many of us live like we actually believe it? Sadly, the answer appears to be far too few.
Yes, God is our refuge and our strength. That's we we, as Christians, like to say.
But, as we're about to find out, what we say doesn't always match up with what we do. Shocking, isn't it? I mean, we're not supposed to lie, but isn't saying one thing and doing another a type of lie?
And it's not like we shouldn't know better. How can we, mere mortals, part of a fallen creation, not rely on God to be our refuge and our strength?
Obviously, we can. And we do.
So if not God, then who, or what, is our refuge and out strength? Let's find out.
Summary
The page discusses the biblical concept that God is our refuge and strength, highlighting the discrepancy between what Christians profess and how they live. It emphasizes the importance of truly relying on God, especially in times of trouble, as reflected in Psalm 46.
Psalm 46 Reflection: The article reflects on Psalm 46, emphasizing God as a refuge and strength for Christians, and questions whether believers truly live by this conviction.
Image Interpretation: It discusses the interpretation of an image representing either worldly wealth or spiritual guidance towards heaven, highlighting the importance of understanding biblical messages correctly.
Biblical Warnings: The page includes a passage from Ezekiel 7 warning about the consequences of not relying on God, contrasting it with the hopeful vision of a new heaven and earth from Revelation 21.
Christian Practice: It challenges Christians to examine if their actions align with their professed beliefs, particularly in times of trouble, and encourages living out the truths of Psalm 46 in daily life..
Reflecting on Psalm 46, we are reminded that true strength and refuge can only be found in God, not in worldly possessions or political powers. As Christians, we must align our actions with our faith, trusting in God’s presence and guidance through life’s tumultuous moments. The contrast between the allure of earthly riches and the promise of a heavenly city of gold serves as a stark reminder of the choices we face. Ultimately, our commitment to living out the truths of Psalm 46 in our hearts and actions will determine whether we find ourselves on streets of gold or facing the consequences of misplaced trust.
Who is our refuge and strength?
The title comes from Psalm 46. And my question therefore is about how we view Psalm 46. Whether or not we understand Psalm 46. And whether we live like Psalm 46 is in our hearts, and therefore in our lives. Whether we can honestly say that God is our refuge and strength. We'll look at the entire Psalm a bit later. But first ...
The image for this one is perfect. Someone helping someone else reach a place where they are both standing on gold. What does that image mean to you? It's important.
Does the image show a person helping another person? And are they reaching the place of their dreams? A life of ease and riches, living in the wealth signified by gold?
Or does the image show a "person", a representation of the Holy Spirit, helping a person reach someplace where the streets are made of gold?
Here's why the image - and its interpretation - work so well. And why it's so important to get it right. Below are two verses in the Bible that reference streets and gold. But each is trying to tell us something very different. One is a warning. The other is telling us how to avoid the situation where we get the warning in the other verse.
They're both about "The End". But let's face it - whether it's the end of our life or the end of the world - the passages apply either way.
Who is our refuge and strength? - The warning
The passage is rather long. But please, read the whole thing. To ignore the warnings in the Bible is to fall victim to them. Below is the passage for those who do not live like God is our refuge and strength.
The End Has Come
Eze 7:1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says to the land of Israel: The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. 3 The end is now upon you and I will unleash my anger against you. I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. 4 I will not look on you with pity or spare you; I will surely repay you for your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
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