2nd Thursday of Advent (December 12). FROM STORMY to CALM WATERS

Prepare to Listen.  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.
 
Prayerfully Read Psalm 46:1-7
1God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy habitation of the Most High.
5God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
   God will help it when the morning dawns.
6The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
   he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7The LORD of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
The psalmist begins with three images to describe God.  What images describe God as you experience him?

The first word, “God,” focuses our attention in the right direction.  The psalmist then lists three common OT images to describe God—refuge, strength, a very present help in trouble.  “Therefore we will not fear.”  Therefore if a God like this is on our side, even though there is much to fear in our world, our nation, our lives, why let fear in the door?

The psalm then describes a troubled world in symbolic images—mountains shake, waters foam and roar, symbols that represent chaotic evil.  Fear is often our default mode.  We fear the results of a political election, illegal aliens at our borders, people with different beliefs to us, the economy, our health and on and on.  We must ask ourselves: Who or what do we trust if fear dominates and is our default mode?
 
Verse 4 shifts attention from stormy to peaceful waters, streams flowing from the river to gladden the city of God.  Joy, not fear, dominates.  At God’s voice the earth will melt, that is, calmly submit to God’s Rule.  The transformation happens because God is present, in the midst of the city and the world.  The presence of God signals calm and joyfulness.  We must choose between irrational fear and absolute trust in God, rejecting all human substitutes for security.  Only God has the power to change the stormy waters to calm waters, to create joy rather than fear.

What do you fear?  Can you trust God to be your strength and refuge and present help?  God will calm the waters in God’s time.  We can only trust and wait.

Prayerfully Respond
Lord God you are my refuge, strength and very present help in these troubled times in our world.  I will trust you today and reject fear whenever it rears its ugly head.  Amen.
 
Live obediently. Do not fear.