God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives 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
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.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with 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 fortress.
Selah
Since a trip to the borders of Turkey, Iraq and Syria earlier this year this verse has not failed to give me goosebumps.
It was what I read when I was afraid, when I was frustrated, when I didn't understand the suffering that I was seeing in the refugee camp I worked in
It was what I read aloud when the building I stayed in shook as bombs fell in the streets, gunfire surrounded us and tear gas poisoned the air we breathed
It was what I screamed at the top of my lungs as I prayed for Iraq and Syria and wept for those nations
It was what I remembered when I was left in awe of beautiful mountains and rivers that caressed the landscape
It was what made me feel peace in the lonely moments
It was what I sang in praise to God through tears of joy when I witnessed the glorious things He was doing in this area where there was no church.
It's what I've read since coming home when I'm feeling overwhelmed and need some perspective
The reason this verse seems to speak to me in every circumstance I feel is very simple.
It reminds me of who my God is.
It really is that simple.
I have a real hard time attending most Christian women's events, hence why I will often try to avoid them. Mostly because all the ones I have been to in the past have almost always been about 'believing you're beautiful' and 'knowing you're fearfully and wonderfully made' and saying very little else. Indeed there is a time and a place for that kind of teaching I'm sure, but that cannot be all we ever feed the women in the church. And don't get me wrong, I know there are plenty of women in the church and beyond who do need to hear those things
But me? Hearing that all the time only encourages me to look at myself - and I definitely don't need any help being more self obsessed.
What I need when I'm afraid, angry, irritated, arrogant or hating everything I know, I know I need to look at Jesus
Not myself
Saying to myself 'Caris, it's ok, you're beautiful.' does not offer anyone anything when I don't understand why these people I have been working with have seen most of their families beheaded or sold into slavery at the hands of ISIS.
But reminding myself that God is beautiful on the other hand, and looking to Him, reminding myself of who He is...
My Almighty God who created heaven and earth,
who is a very present help in time of trouble,
who forgives me
who does mighty and awesome things even in the midst of devastation,
who is the Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords,
who is working all things for the good of those who love Him,
who is ferociously and fiercely defending the church,
who has marked me as safe from Satan's accusations forever and who will, who absolutely will be exalted among the nations - on that day every eye shall take in His beauty and majesty and every knee will hit the ground and from every voice we shall hear that Jesus is Lord!
who is a very present help in time of trouble,
who forgives me
who does mighty and awesome things even in the midst of devastation,
who is the Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords,
who is working all things for the good of those who love Him,
who is ferociously and fiercely defending the church,
who has marked me as safe from Satan's accusations forever and who will, who absolutely will be exalted among the nations - on that day every eye shall take in His beauty and majesty and every knee will hit the ground and from every voice we shall hear that Jesus is Lord!
That's what will make me get out of bed each day. That's what I can cling onto when the pangs of death are encompassing me. That's what will sustain when caught up in the middle of a war zone. That's where the authority to trample the darkness comes from - looking to God, reminding yourself of just who's on your side, who's behind you, who's going before you, who's holding your right hand.
He is so glorious
Just so glorious!
Just so glorious!
And He and He alone is what we ought to look to, because nothing else will do.
May our minds be so fixated on who He is that we wouldn't even think of looking elsewhere for comfort, may we not even need to tell ourselves what a ridiculous idea that would be, because we have made Him our ultimate desire, we have fought to fix our eyes on Him so our ADD souls don't look to the billion lesser things that the world throws our way
'In all my sorrows Jesus is better
Than any victory Jesus is better
More than all riches Jesus is better
Than any comfort Jesus is better
Make my heart believe'
Than any victory Jesus is better
More than all riches Jesus is better
Than any comfort Jesus is better
Make my heart believe'
God is good all the time
God is good and that is His nature
God is good and that is His nature
