Resting in God’s Presence

 January 16, 2026

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “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 Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

We end our week of Devotions 

with a very well known Old Testament Psalm. 

 A Psalm that invites us 

into the comfort and rest of God's presence.

As you likely noticed as you read Psalm 46 above, the Psalm does not promise a life without trouble. It is a very honest Psalm, that says "though" life shattering circumstance happen to us, we need to remember that we belong to a God who is:

Our refuge when the world shakes
Our strength when we are weak
Our ever-present help when trouble comes
Our peace when chaos surrounds

I believe that is a truth revealed to us, not only in Psalm 46, but throughout the Bible, and I dare say most of us can testify to places in our lives where God's has been a refuge, strength, ever-present help, and our peace. 

Then the Psalm issues a command. Since God is our a refuge, strength,  help, and peace, then. “Be still." This command is a call to you and me to re-center our lives around God’s sovereignty.

What does "to be still" mean for us? Well, I believe being still means we:

Remember who God is
Make space for God’s voice
Quiet the inner noise
Surrender our anxious striving
Release the illusion of control

To "be still and know" that the Lord Almighty is with us and that our exalted God is faithful as a refuge, strength, ever-present help, and peace for his people results in a faith that says that we can, Trust His character, Rest in His power, Lean into His faithfulness, and Anchor our identity in His presence.

In a shaken and unsettled world, Psalm 46 invites us to cultivate what some call, holy stillness.

Let's Pray

God of refuge and strength,
help us find stillness in Your presence.
Ease our anxious hearts
and calm the unrest inside us.
Teach us to trust that You are God,
faithful, sovereign, and close.
Let Your presence be our peace
and Your voice our steady anchor.
Amen.