Psalm 46:1-11
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. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

“The Lord of hosts is with us,” says the psalmist, and indeed He is with us, as well. And does that mean anything at all to us? Do we really live like it is so? Why do we go around fearful? Why are we worried about our present circumstances and what might come in the future? Wars rage all around. Storms come through and bring their destruction. Enemies come from every side. But the Lord of hosts is with us. He is our refuge. He is our strength, for surely we lack enough of it for the things that we must face. He is our help in trouble, for surely no other could offer just the help we need.

God is an almighty God. His power is above all. He can do anything. He has already done the impossible. He continually shows Himself to be mighty and capable. We just need to recognize exactly who it is who is on our side. That is how we face the storms and battles of life—not by building strength ourselves, but trusting His, seeking shelter in Him, letting Him fight the battle.

When everything is swirling around us, when the chaos surrounds, when the earth is shaking beneath our feet, may we be still and know. We can stop trying to fight in our own power and stop trying to figure out the problem ourselves and rest in who we know God to be. We can go forth with confidence to whatever we are facing because the Lord of hosts is with us. May we let that matter in how we face any trouble that comes our way. It is the God of Jacob who is our refuge, not a flimsy shelter or a temporary buffer, but the eternal God of all. May the battle cry of our day to day be this powerful truth: The Lord of hosts is with us.