Nougat 23

One of the mysteries of verb conjugation is that technically, the present tense remains in the now. And when we refer to God’s attributes, they are also in the now. Consider today’s Holy Nougat

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:1‬ ‭NRSV‬‬

Given the introductory words, we are not bothered by the psalm being written more than 2000 years ago. Except to the extent that this is a tried and true promise. So when the psalm was penned, their current reality was – God IS our Refuge. That reality remains current: God IS our Refuge. So what does that mean?

Refuge

A refuge is a safe shelter. Usually it is considered temporary; somewhere to ‘kotch’ until danger has passed and is past. Now, when we think about the fact that even today, God is not immediately visible to the naked eye; one can be forgiven for asking, ’How does an invisible God be a shelter?’ And my response is: ‘Good question.’ For the truth is, God is not so much a physical shelter as God is the Source of the shelter, and if we turn to God, God can shelter our minds. This then gives me a sense of providing a respite from whatever would cause us to worry or be fearful. And that list can be very long. So the psalmist invites us to turn inward, and focus on God in the present moment, and we will find a safe shelter.

Strength

God’s not just a safe shelter; God is also our strength. Sometimes this is literal; where we begin to feel equipped to over- come what faces us; or in our sickness, we can overcome and keep going for a while. It is also spiritual-literary, as it also relates to the innate ability to complete a task in troubled times, or when doubt and fear try to tell us what we can’t do.

Finding our strength in God is easier when we’ve proven God’s power; like David encouraged himself in the Lord when life seemed to get him down. We think also of Joshua literally speaking to the sun in the midst of the battle (Joshua 10:12) and the sun didn’t set until the battle was won. He didn’t speak in his own strength, that was God! And he knew that from his experience of seeing Aaron and Hur by Moses’s side in battle, holding his hand, while the bedraggled bunch of Hebrews overthrew yet another army (see Exodus 17). It was God in their present, just as God desires to be in our present right now to strengthen and sustain us.

Very Present Help in Trouble

Here, ‘present’ not only refers to the ‘Now-ness’ of a situation (trouble); but it also refers to location. As ‘Present Help’, God’s with us, in the now, ready to give us the support we need in our desperate moments. Have you ever been desperate, I mean well and truly desperate with nowhere to turn? If so, you might have found, like I did and like Jacob (see Genesis 32:26), that when we know that we know God is in our corner; there is a peace. Not always the disappearance of trouble, but the confidence in knowing that the battle is God’s, and it is already well.

Of course, being human, we sometimes dis-remember. Or we believe that this is all past tense. I offer us a lifetime challenge: Each time we need Refuge, Strength, Certain and Accompanying Support in our NOW; call on God first! Not our family, friends, neighbors, pastors, judge, teacher-friends, police, witch doctor (aka voodoo priest/ess, obeah-man, modda) or anyone else! Call on God first and see what God can do.

That’s a now promise to keep us all the time.

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May all we seek be found in Christ