Psalm 46 -- Taking Our Hands Off The Wheel

“God is our protection and our strength.  He always helps in times of trouble.  So we will not be afraid even if the earth shakes or the mountains fall into the sea…”

God caused these words to remain in the Bible.  They aren’t just some person’s hopeful thinking turned into a song – they are God’s assured actions.  Were it not the truth, God would not have allowed them to be included in His Word all these centuries.  Yet how many of us will not be afraid when the earth shakes or the mountains fall into the sea?

My commentary had much to add:

“The emphasis in this psalm is on the presence of the Lord with His people and the difference it makes when we trust Him in the changes and difficulties of life.  The psalm focuses on the Lord and what He is to His trusting people” – our tower of strength, our river of joy, and our God.

“God is a dependable refuge for His people when everything around them seems to be falling apart.  But He doesn’t protect us in order to PAMPER us.  He shelters us so He can strengthen us to go BACK TO LIFE WITH ITS DUTIES AND DANGERS… He is an ever-present help, but He cannot work for us unless we trust Him.”

“The earth may change, the mountains may be hurled violently into the sea, there may come earthquakes and tidal waves, but all things are in the control of our sovereign Lord.”

“’Be still’ literally means, ‘Take your hands off!  Relax!’  We like to be hands-on people and manage our own lives, but God is God, and we are but His servants … often Jacob got into trouble because he got his hands on circumstances and tried to play God.  There is a time to obey God and act, but until then, we had better take our hands off and allow Him to work in His own time and in His own way.”

Father, You’ve been teaching me this and I’ve been listening and learning.  I’m trying to keep my hands off and let You work.  I understand why You don’t protect us in order to pamper us, because I too need the strength to go back to life with its duties and dangers.  Thank You for building my faith and trust in You and for helping me to take my hands off the wheel to let You steer.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford