Be still. . . .

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah “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 fortress. Selah (Psalm 46:1–3, 10–11)

As I read this, the upstairs television features a podcast with a few people discussing world events with strong opinions of what is happening and how to fix it. They are anxious and worried. 

Downstairs my Bible features a song of faith that initially fixes the fear then gives solutions such as: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.” (Vs. 4–5)
He can do this because He is “the Lord of hosts” and “with us” and “our fortress.” “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.” (Vs. 9)

On a Sunday morning, the sun is shining, trees leaf out, birds sing. They know nothing of the wars and struggles or the major problems that plague the human mind. The cosmos, even the sparrows and trees thrive in the care of their Maker. They know how to be still in the knowledge of God. And we humans are supposed to be made in His image and rated as the highest in His creation?

What fools we are to create strife and problems because of our own selfishness and then argue and even scream at each other trying to fix it, still with our own selfish ideas and goals. Instead of being still and trusting God.

Lord Jesus, we need a revival of renewed faith, of awareness and conviction of such sinfulness, of repentance that is deeply serious and able to be still and know You, the One who can make all things right and at peace. Visit us and be exalted in this twisted up place called earth.

 

God is our Fortress

Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me. . . . 
But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, “Do not answer him.” . . . .  As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. And he sent Eliakim… and Shebna… and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz. They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. It may be that the Lord your God heard all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.” 
. . . . Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’ ” (2 Kings 18:28–19:7)

Sometimes I say, “We have a big God” and someone else responds with, ‘yes, but” or “What if” and I want to weep. If the need is too large for Almighty God then why bother worshipping Him? Would it not be better to admit this lack of faith and allow God to defend Himself?
The story continues:

And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made the heavens and the earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.” (2 Kings 19:15–19)

His prayer of faith is faith-building for me. I know as I read it that God will answer, and He did:

“Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” (2 Kings 19:32–34)

Jesus, it is important to remember that You answer prayer for Your own sake, not just mine. It is not bad to be known as a person of prayer, but far more important that Your people know You as One who hears and answers to show Himself to us, that we know Your power and Your faithfulness. It is when we see You as You are that You transform us by grace to be more like You. Help all of us to confess our doubts, then sweep them away so we can pray with confidence that You will hear our cries and take care of our needs.

A Stronghold against all threats . . .

 

In ancient times many civilizations protected themselves by making their cities a FORTRESS. Sometimes the location was high, difficult to enter, strongly fortified with high walls and protective weapons. In those days, combat was close. They didn’t have fighter planes, long-range missiles, drones, or anything that could attack an enemy they could not see in front of them. I’m reminded of castles seen in Scotland and other parts of Europe and some of the cities impossibly perched on the mountains in Italy.

Fortresses are usually military strongholds however this word is also used to describe someone not susceptible to outside influence or disturbance, a person who is a fortress against all threats.

Almost all Bible verses that call God a FORTRESS are in the psalms. This indicates the poetic use as a metaphor. It does not say God is like a fortress but that He is our fortress. That is, when the Bible uses the word FORTRESS to describe God, it mean that He protects us against evil whenever we run to Him; He cannot be touched by the Liar and Destroyer or anything else that threatens us.

David uses this description many times. The first is on the day that God delivered him from his enemies and from Saul who tried to kill him. In 2 Samuel 22:2–3. He said,

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

David knew that his deliverance came from God, not from any other source. His ideas of how to escape and all his defenses were God-given. For that reason, God was given full credit for his protection.

David also gave credit to God for protection of others as well as himself. In Psalm 9:9 he said, “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”

This does not mean automatic protection for everyone. Most of the passages that pair God as a fortress also say something about taking refuge in Him. He is the stronghold for those who go to Him for protection. If I try to overcome adversity by myself, I’m apt to be disappointed at the very least. Being defeated is far more likely.

God does this for His people yet also for His own name’s sake so that we can experience Him as is our hiding place, our strong protector.

Psalm 31:1–4. In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.

This is a relationship of trust. I will not run to God for deliverance and protection if I don’t think He cares or is there for me. In Psalm 91:2, the psalmist said, “I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” And in Psalm 144:2 David repeats: “He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.”

How did these OT believers know this? Most likely by their experiences. This is certainly true of David. Yet God also makes Himself known in ways that are mysterious and wonderful. When outsiders attacked Jerusalem, Psalm 48:3 says, “Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Many more verses point to God as a fortress, a stronghold and place of safety, hidden and high above the threats of life. These days, He is proving Himself to me as a very real hiding place. His protection from doubt and fearful thoughts is part of that, but He is also working in the hearts of those who threaten our peace and safety making the idea of fortress far more than a mere figure of speech. I am daily and constantly amazed by the wonderful grace of God who makes Himself my stronghold!