“God is our refuge and strength,
a help always near in times of great trouble.
That’s why we won’t be afraid when the world falls apart,
when the mountains crumble into the center of the sea,
when its waters roar and rage,
when the mountains shake because of its surging waves.” – Psalm 46:1-3 (CEB)
The psalm does not promise that the world will hold together. It says the world falls apart, the mountains crumble, the waters roar. Whoever wrote this knew what a terrible day feels like, and did not look away from it.
And still, the first line comes before any of that. God is our refuge and strength. Not someday, after the trouble passes. A help always near, in the middle of it. The psalm writer did not wait for calm water before trusting God. Neither do we.
That is the kind of trust lament makes room for. It does not deny the waves. It holds on to God while they are still crashing. Grief and trust can live in the same heart, often on the same morning. Where do you need God to be your refuge today?
God our refuge, when everything feels like it is shaking, be the ground under us. Make us a help to one another this week. Amen.