Refuge

I have a weekly calendar book that also features scenic photos and verses from the Psalms. This week's verse is Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." I think I needed this verse today, as I'm struggling against some depression with my job, school and worries over some of the teens.

This verse lists three things that God is. God is our refuge - I think there's nothing more comforting in this world than knowing that you have someone to run to when everything else seems overwhelming and you just need to be held and sheltered from it for a time.

God is our strength. We are inherently weak and prone to crumbling at the attacks from outside and within. To have the Creator pick us up, look us in the eye and say, "I know times are tough. So I'm going to lend you My strength to get through it." is often what we need the most.

God is a very present help in trouble. This is perhaps the most comforting part of the verse. When trouble hits us, God promises that He is there with you. He's not stuck in traffic or sending us a long-distance e-mail filled with good wishes. He is "very present", and is eager to lend a hand. We're not alone with our problems. There was a quote from the TV show Sports Night I've always liked, when Natalie is struggling through a difficult decision and the possible media backlash. Dan simply tells her, "You've got friends. And this is what friends gear up for."

We've got God. And our trouble is what God gears up for. Yeah, I think I need that today.