Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
September 27, 2023
Psalm 46:1-11
1 God is our refuge and strength, a help always near in times of great trouble. 2 That’s why we won’t be afraid when the world falls apart, when the mountains crumble into the center of the sea, 3 when its waters roar and rage, when the mountains shake because of its surging waves. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams gladden God’s city, the holiest dwelling of the Most High. 5 God is in that city. It will never crumble. God will help it when morning dawns. 6 Nations roar; kingdoms crumble. God utters his voice; the earth melts. 7 The LORD of heavenly forces is with us! The God of Jacob is our place of safety. Selah 8 Come, see the LORD’s deeds, what devastation he has imposed on the earth 9 bringing wars to an end in every corner of the world, breaking the bow and shattering the spear, burning chariots with fire. 10 “That’s enough! Now know that I am God! I am exalted among all nations; I am exalted throughout the world!” 11 The LORD of heavenly forces is with us! The God of Jacob is our place of safety. Selah
Good Morning. The Lord says, Be still and know that I am God.
I have shared before that the Upper Room website uses the Common English Bible for its scripture references. It is good to read a variety of translations because sometimes we glean new meanings when we are reading different words. This morning, I admit that I had to read Psalm 46:10 (which is one of my favorites) three times in the CEB before I realized these were my words of comfort. 10 “That’s enough! Now know that I am God!
In this translation, the loving words of comfort, Be still and know that I am God, seem a bit more urgent or harsh. As loving parents, we sometimes need first to get our child’s attention, and then we can get to the part of giving comfort. We certainly have times when we go straight to God for comfort, but what about those times when we think we can solve our problems by ourselves and try solutions, one after the other, to no avail?
In those moments, we need God, and God wants to comfort us, but we need to be awakened so that we remember that God is with us, always waiting for us to ask. So God disrupts our stubbornness and says, That’s enough! Now know that I am God! Praise be to God. Whatever we need, wherever we are, God is with us!
Loving God, We love you! You made us in Your image, but we are frail in our own understanding. When we forget all that You gave us, wake us from our destructive ways and be with us to comfort us. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: No matter how overwhelmed I may be, I will take time to be still before God.
Listen, God is with us! Pastor Liz
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