A Life-Line

Psalm 46 is one that is definitely close to my heart. I remember on the evening of September 11, 2001, our church had a prayer vigil, and we read this text. Then, just as Covid was picking up steam, cities were shutting down and hospitals were filling up, this is the text that God placed on my heart – and the one I preached on that Sunday.

If there were ever a text to memorize, to have in your back pocket, or to have in your heart as a life-line, this would be a great one:

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…

This psalm has spoken so powerfully to people across the ages for a reason. It moves us from a place of fear and anxiety to a place of trust and faith; to God’s presence in the midst of what often feels like a crumbling world.

Do you remember what the most frequent command is in the Bible? You would think it would be “Love God” or “Love your neighbor.” According to Jesus, together those are the greatest commandments, but, they are not the most frequent. The most frequent command is, “Fear not!” Far more than any other command, over and over we read the words, “Fear not.”   Fear not.

Why do you suppose that is?

Maybe it is because when we are afraid when we let fear dominate, 
we do stupid things. 

Maybe because our fear will often divide us from other people. 

Maybe it is because fear can paralyze us from taking the next leap of faith 
or doing the right thing. 

Maybe it is because fear keeps us from seeing the beauty of God’s presence 
in others and all around us.

It’s not that there is nothing to be afraid of in life. There is plenty.  But the witness of the community of faith over thousands of years is that even in the face of it, even when the mountains shake, and the earth changes and all we know seems uncertain, God is with us.

Let us pray: Holy God, you are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear…  We will not fear the other… We will not fear change… We will not fear the future…  We remember that in Jesus, you conquered even death. Help us to trust… and grant us your peace…. Amen.