By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
TUESDAY
THEME: A FRESH REMINDER: GOD ALONE IS OUR REFUGE’
SCRIPTURE: Psalms 46:1,11
“[1]God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. [11]The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah”
REFLECTIONS
Sin has made our world dangerous and uncertain. Though we wake up expecting good experiences, we hear and read more unpleasant news than we can understand. We have come to an era where evil is compromised and explained away or given a fine definition. When sin, which is lawlessness (1 John 3:4), can be explained away, it ceases to be sin. But we still live with the damning consequences of our evil behaviors and conduct.
Despite the risky and unfriendly experiences we struggle with, when you wake up in the morning, convince and re-assure yourself of the reality of God as your refuge and strength (Psalms 46). Affirm Psalms 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” through meditation and prayer. This expression of trust is enough to carry you through the day. It helps you to anchor your faith in the Almighty God. The Lord will rescue you from trouble and walk you through the challenge. The presence, power, and God’s faithfulness are the reason for hope.
Because we trust God to provide us with safety and the strength we need to pursue a worthy cause daily, “[2]. . . we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; [3]Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah” – verses 2-3. Unless we give up on God – a suicidal thing to do, nothing can shake the walls of protection God erects around us. There may be infiltrators who cause panic and fear, but they cannot stay for long – indeed, fear is an anathema for the faithful.
Are you aware that Psalms 46:5 says: “. . . God shall help [us], just at the break of dawn”? Dawn follows the night and transitions us into brightness, peace, joy, and splendor. Anytime the dawn breaks, be ready to receive God’s unlimited help – it is His promise, and it is true. Every minute of the day, we should open our eyes and ears to confirm that “The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.” – verses 7,11. Our refuge and defender can destroy the enemy’s arsenals and deflate the supremacy of the odds against us (verses 6, 8-9). Daily, we are privileged to be strengthened by the promise: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” – verse 10. Remember, our God is awesome, mighty, faithful, and ever-present.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 461 – “Be Still My Soul” – Mormon Tabernacle Choir
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His promises; thank Him for fulfilled promises in answer to prayers; pray for divine help at your disposal;
– Pray for families that face famine and deprivation, children exposed to danger, people who are discriminated against, and displaced people;
– Pray for the nation’s Security agencies and personnel, a change of heart for the wicked and violent, and a reduction of hostilities between ethnic groups, communities, and countries;
– Pray for God’s protection of the family and loved ones, the safety of women in labor, and God’s special care of those who have lost their breadwinners; pray for the comfort of God’s word.
