“Be still, there is a healer
His love is deeper than the sea
His mercy, it is unfailing
His arms are fortress for the weak
Let faith arise
Let faith arise
I lift my hands to believe again
You are my refuge, You are my strength
As I pour out my heart
These things, I remember…”
The above stanzas are from the song “I Lift My Hands” that we sang during our recent worship service. What stood out from this song was the constant reminder and repetition that the Lord is our refuge and our strength; He is always ready to help us in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1) According to Longman Dictionary, refuge is defined as a place that provides shelter, or protection from danger. We can imagine how fearful we can be when earthquakes come and when mountains are moved into the heart of the sea, but with God as our refuge, we do not have to fear. (Psalm 46:2-3)
In the olden days, rivers were important for agricultural purposes and were places for people to trade with one another. Though there is no river in Jerusalem, we know that God is the “river” as He continuously provides for His people. (Psalm 46:4) With the presence of God, the people enjoyed the security that He provided, and He would defend His people from all their enemies (Psalm 46:5-7). God will ultimately be victorious when He ceases wars and brings peace to all. (Psalm 46:9)
What can we learn from Psalm 46? As God’s children, we are assured that He will protect us and give us strength during adversity. We will have security as we run to God to seek refuge. All this is possible through Christ whom we have accepted as our personal Lord and Saviour. Our challenge is how we can continue to love Him and let Him take control of our lives. Let’s continue to build our relationship with God and lift him up daily in our lives so that we can proclaim and sing “A Mighty Fortress Is our God”! (Psalm 46:10-11)
Leo Deng Yong
