Facing Disaster? Ask God to Help (Part 2 of 3)

God is always bigger than my dilemma!

May 23, 2020

"… God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah."

Psalm 46:1-3

Part 2

Yesterday:
“God is our refuge and strength.”
The all-powerful Elohim is our hiding place and can handle any problem we have

Today:
“A very present help in trouble.”
Jehovah God is not an absentee “god.”  He is always near His child.  He is there to help – He is “a very present help.”  In the time of our need, He is always found near us and is forever able to help.

“[…a very present help in trouble] literally, a help in distresses hath he let himself be found exceedingly.”[1]

That is not such a correct statement grammatically in English, but it does teach an eternal truth.

Israel’s history with other “gods” teaches us that a god who cannot be found when there is trouble is worse than useless and is no god at all.  The example of Elijah on Mount caramel with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).  Elijah mocked the false prophets and asked of them where their gods were!  He built his altar and soaked it with water.  Then he prayed a short prayer, and the LORD God of Israel showed His presence to be there with Elijah, and He forcefully answered his prayer.

Israel had a history of being hot and cold toward the Lord.  During a dark time, in King Asa’s reign, Azariah helped lead Asa and Israel back to God.  If God can be found by Israel in her hour of need, surely, He can be found by you in your time of need.

“And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:  And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:1-2).

“Now for a long season, Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.  But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel and sought him, he was found of them” (2 Chronicles 15:3-4).

Believers, the good news is wherever you are, God is there with you.  He is “a very present help in trouble.”

Come back tomorrow, and we will talk more about fear.

 

 

 

[1] Cambridge Bible, the electronic version in eSword.