Reasons for Trusting God to Provide our Protection

 “Reasons for Trusting God to Provide our Protection”

 

 

Psalm 46:8-11—Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth.  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.  Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The Lord of hosts is with us, The God of Jacob is our refuge.    Selah

 

For those who need to prove it themselves, go ahead and start with refuge and count back 46 words and you will find spear.  The New King James kept this Psalm in the same form as the King James Version, the translators of which wished to honor William Shakespeare on his 46^th birthday for his assistance in the project of translation. Two days ago we counted from the top and the 46^th word was “shake.”  We said earlier that “Selah” is a musical notation the exact meaning of which has not been determined—thus the word is untranslated.

 

And now—Reasons for Trusting God to Provide our Protection

A.   Look at the Works of the Lord (vv. 8-9)

1.     The citizens of the City of God (Jerusalem) are invited to view the remains of their enemies—speaking directly of the fact that an angel of the Lord slew all the army of Sennacherib in one night—all 185,000 were dead by morning.  This could also speak of the victory of Christ over the nations at the final Battle of Armageddon (v. 8)

2.     He Provides Peace by making All Wars to Cease (v. 9)

a.     No matter how remote the tribe, Christ awes the people into rest

b.     The great powers are crushed so that they cannot provoke strife again.

B.   Look at the Person of the Lord (vv. 10-11)

1.     Looking at the Awesome Power and Nature of God will bring complete silence by all of His enemies (v. 10)  For us as believers, this verse—Be still, and know that I Am God—is a reminder to us to adore God and to let him lead.  He does not need our help in making decisions.  We need His help.  So his instruction to us is “Be Still, and Know that I am God.  We must listen and cease to fear, for God will assuredly maintain His own cause and honor.  “Be still, apprehension!  The whole world may be in a turmoil, but I am God, and I rule the whole world.  Be still, impatience, I am God, and the times and seasons are in  my power.”

2.     Remembering the presence of God with us reminds us of a precious privilege that cannot be overlooked (v. 11)  The Lord of hosts is with us is a truth of which no believer wearies, and it is a fact that is too often forgotten.  God is with you today!

3.     Here is a popular saying that reminds us that we need to be still, and let the great I AM speak.

 

I AM

I was regretting the past

And fearing the future

Suddenly my Lord was speaking:

My Name is I AM.  He paused.  I waited.  He continued,

When you live in the past, with its mistakes and regrets, It is hard.

I am not there.  My name is not I Was.

When you live in the future, with its problems and fears, It is hard.  I am not there.  My name is not I will be.

When you live in the moment.  Its not hard. I am here.

  My name is I AM.