He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11 NIV
If you’re like me, you did not imagine 2020 would play out the way it has in this first half of the year. With any new year, we often enter into the year prophesying how great it is going to be and all of the new things we’re going to manifest in our lives. I can remember seeing folks on social media, proclaiming that their 2020 was going to be a movie. And as we’ve progressed through 2020, one could argue it has definitely been a movie, but probably not the fairytale ending movie that one might have been expecting.
As we battle COVID-19 and racial injustice, you might be feeling at a loss. You might be thinking: where is God? As you sit with the uncertainty of the reopening of schools or the anxiety of the economy opening back up (and maybe having to return to intense quarantine mode) or fear for the safety of Black lives, it’s easy to lose your peace and feel overwhelmed by it all.
Fortunately for believers, we have God. And in the midst of what might feel like a chaotic 2020, He still reigns. Psalm 46 opens up by telling us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” We can be still and know that He is God because we can rely on God as our source. Whether, we are battling COVID- 19 ourselves, we don’t know what to do with our children during the summer because camps are closed, or we are fearful that our loved ones will be targeted by the police, God is our refuge. As we live in a time of uproar in our nation, we can be still and confident because God has the whole world in His hands.
In Psalm 46:6, the word says, "Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.” This very verse applies to what we’re experiencing right now. Our nation is in uproar as it navigates two pandemics. Yet, we know that our God is omnipotent and omniscient and at the mention of His name, every knee must bow. (Phillipians 2:10). And in His own time, racism and COVID-19 will bow and He, alone, will get the glory and be exalted on the earth.
Reflection
What is causing you to not be still? What is taking away from God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, being present in your life during this season? What do you need to surrender to God and trust that He is still God? Write these things down and leave them at your altar with God and accept His peace and that He is still God through every storm.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for knowing the beginning for the end. Thank you for being omniscient and not being surprised by anything that happens in our lives. And thank you for always being with us. Forgive us Lord for letting the circumstances of life cause us to be restless and lose our peace or trust in Your reign as God over our lives. Help us to be still, and not anxious about what’s happening around us. Help us to rest in you and have faith that You are in control. In Jesus name, Amen.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
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