Being Still In Our Refuge (Ps 46) – March 19, 2026 (114/365)

Avocado and cocoa – Good for the brain supposedly

The rest are good for the gut in one way or the other:

Watermelon and salt

Banana and pepper

Orange and ginger

Yogurt and oats

Pineapple and cayenne

Sorry. Took some notes from a reel. Apparently you can learn stuff from reels.

It’s not all brainrot. Or I’m just justifying my doomscrolling.

Wasn’t around to be on time with Dox and the crew for their online Bible study but I was able to hang out long enough to take in the topic; That is, the Bronze Serpent.

Just as God instructed the Israelites dying from snake bites to look at the bronze serpent hoisted up on a stick, so we look to Christ who was raised up, nailed to a cross, that we would not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Israelites’ prayer was for God to take away the snakes; Again, God’s response was to tell them to look to the bronze serpent. We may pray by way of presenting solutions to God based on our own limited perspectives… But our Father tells us to look to Christ, and to place our trust in Him, first and foremost.

Two ways for us to pray in response to the current increasing gas prices – to tell God what we think should be done (ex. God, end the war so the Strait of Hormuz would open so the tankers would make their way back to our country so the supply of fuel would resume so the prices of gas and diesel would go down to 2 pesos a liter)…

…or, focus on Christ ‘Father, we thank You for Christ, through whom we know that You shall supply all our needs according to the riches of Your glory.‘

It was a good conversation I had with Dox right after… much so, that I’ve had to work double time to hit my daily steps – Didn’t work too hard, though, to forget the beautiful point; That is, Dox’s personal verse:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.Colossians 3:16

We look to Christ, we tune in to His Word. We abide in Christ, and we allow His word to dwell in us.

And, speaking of the Word… Thank You, Father, for the reading of Your Word.

Psalm 46

God the Refuge of His People and Conqueror of the Nations

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

Before anything else, take a look at verse 10 and say, ‘Hillsong! Hillsong!’

Get that out of your chest? Good.

Indeed, we look to the Lord, and we cling to His Word – and we VALUE His Word, here in particular, because it gives us cause to give thanks to God.

We give thanks to God, for Jesus Christ, whose finished work guaranteed that we are able to declare, proclaim, and live out of this promise that I seem to have been saying on a daily basis now: That God is my Father, who is our Refuge, and our Strength.

God is our Father, who is our very present Help in trouble. He is consequently our good Father to whose throne we can run to in our time of need.

In Psalm 27 it’s written that the Lord is our Light and our Salvation – and, because of this, we ask the rhetorical: Who shall I fear? Who shall I be afraid?

Here, we read a supplement, and we say: We can be frightened, we can be startled, we can make those crazy sounds and faces when our older brothers wait for ages just for you to come around a dark corner to scare the beejeesus out of you (not specific at all, I tell you)… but it will NOT last forever because God is our Light, our Salvation, and also our Refuge, and our Strength.

And get that – He is our PRESENT Help in trouble; Meaning, He’s not coming to rescue is – Christ is IN us, the Hope of Glory, therefore WITH us and PRESENT with us in all things.

He’s with us, through all these wars, and these rumors of wars. To folks a little on the edge about the endtimes, I say that while that’s coming to pass, we haven’t seen earthquakes yet. And, thank goodness, we aren’t being dragged out of our homes for believing in Jesus Christ, by people who are thinking they are doing God’s favor. Not yet.

But the thing is, even if the mountains shake and the waters roar, we shall not be fully frightened or permanently afraid… Because through Christ and His finished work, we have our God with us – Our Father, our Light, our Salvation, our Refuge, our Strength, our Help.

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Indeed, we behold the Lord, we abide in Christ, and we take in His Word; And through His Word are reminded to take refuge in His Name, a strong tower for the righteous (that is, all of us who believed in Christ and have been made righteous).

And while it is much appreciated for us to say that we are safe and secure in the name of Jesus, behold – it is in His presence that we are refreshed and renewed, sure as we take in the waters He gives – all in His refuge. In other words, not only are we protected in Christ, but we are comforted, relieved, and refreshed.

Verse 6 says The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted; I say that this is in line with our being anointed before the chaotic presence of our enemies. They can only rage and rattle things about while we are well fed and favored by our Good Shepherd.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

In the midst of wars and rumors of wars, let us behold Christ who has won the singular victory over all victories – that those who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

I could imagine the subtitles, as He spoke on the cross, specifically when He said ‘it is finished’; Sin has been purged. The wars have ceased to the end of the earth. The bow is broken, the spear has been cut into two, and the chariot has been burned in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Let us behold Christ, and be in awe.

Open wide the gates of heaven

Fill our hearts as we surrender

Lord let Your presence fall

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom

Where the Spirit of the Lord is

Chains are broken eyes are open

Christ is with us

Thank You, Father, for the reading of Your Word.

We are reminded of Your goodness, and the great things You have done.

We are reminded of Christ, the cross, and the empty grave.

Thank You, Jesus, for our salvation.

In times of rejection and healing and forgiveness and moving on, in times of speaking blessings and getting over the old, fleshly, dead thoughts and deeds… we look to You, Jesus, lifted high.

In times of realization – of responsibilities and the need to step up and to take care, to take lead, and to take charge… we remember You, Jesus.

In times of crisis, where everyone around the civilized world is impacted – we look to You, Jesus.

We remember You; we look to You lifted high, and we are saved.

Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

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