“God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;” (Ps 46:1-2 AV)
The proximity of God makes His help certain. At least that is David’s premise. There are other factors, for sure. But for these two verses, it is the proximity of God’s presence that makes His help certain. Circumstances seem to distract us from the nearness of God. This is why David goes to such lengths to write this psalm. Following the nearness of God, David expresses some very troublesome situations. Some would say this psalm is prophetical. Some would say it points to the tribulation period when the Earth itself will be set on edge. There will be events of cosmic proportions. No doubt, fear would be the prominent emotion. Yet, with the earth shaking under one’s feet, God is near. Even if the mountains collapse, God is near. When the stars fall and the universe begins to collapse on itself, God is near. When there is no food or fresh water, God is near. When your life is turned upside down and you don’t know if you can survive one more day, the LORD is near!
The nearness of God, like all His attributes, is hard to comprehend. It is hard to keep in the forefront of our minds and hearts. We cannot see God. We cannot touch God. We cannot hear His audible voice. All that we know and experience of God, we do so by faith. That doesn’t make Him any less real. Have you ever been in a pitch black room and thought you were alone? Then, you had this sense that there was someone or something else in there with you? You cannot explain how you know. You just know. When Lisa was in the hospital recovering from surgery, she was out of it most of the time. I would walk the halls just to get some pent up anxiety worked out. Then I would stop in her room to check on her. I was silent coming in. My shoes made no sound, I didn’t cough or sigh, and never said a word. Yet somehow, she knew I entered. She could even tell it was me as opposed to a nurse or doctor. Without opening her eyes, she acknowledged my presence is the room. She just knew.
God’s presence is even more real than that. He is ever-present. That means we never get the experience of knowing that God is not there. Perhaps that is one reason we find it difficult to remember He is there. He never leaves. This we take on faith. The word of God and evidence of creation tell us He never leaves nor forsakes. Temporal existence cannot exist outside of a force greater than itself. Therefore, God must exist and He must be involved in all that exists. Otherwise, nothing would exist. Therefore, God is ever-present. That is the theology of it. The Holy Spirit is the personal experience of God’s existence. His Spirit bears witness with our Spirit. Because He is, and He is always there, our help is ever present. Our help, being ever-present, means we have nothing to fear. Praise God for never leaving nor forsaking!
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