Thoughts for the Day

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.....

The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

‘Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.’
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Can you empty your mind and meditate in complete stillness? No? Sometimes I try to do this and end up thinking of not one thing, but two things at the same time! However, I was someone who could take down shorthand from my boss while thinking about what food-shopping I needed to do later in the day, and then ended up typing up the letters in order to find out what he had actually said. It was always interesting to discover what the letter was about. Somehow, I could think one thing but my ears and hands would work independently. Very strange!

The traditional meaning of the closing lines of Psalm 46 argue that we need to empty our minds in order to get closer to God. But it seems to me that when there is a whirlwind of chaos around us, or if things in our life seem to be out of control, it's asking the impossible. Besides which we don't need total stillness to know that God is with us. What we do need to do is to stop the inner panicking about solving the problems, to know that God is in charge, and pass everything over to Him. He commands us to know that He is our refuge and place of safety.

Being reassured that God has our back also means we might be able to do something to help ourselves. Remember a person in a house fire will still try to escape after calling the fire brigade!

Almighty God
You planned and created our world,
and continue in control
of all that You have made.
When things are in chaos in our life,
may we simply learn to accept:that you are in charge;
that You are our refuge;
and turn to You for help.
Then may we try to re-order the chaos.
Amen.