Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - When Things Feel Chaotic | The Writings | Psalm 46

Episode Date: May 1, 2024

What do you do in the midst of loneliness, elections, depression, illness, and chaos? Do the troubles of the world threaten to overwhelm you? In today's episode, Jensen shares an important reminder from Psalm 46. Find encouragement in God's word today. Read the Bible with us in 2024! This year, we’re tackling a group of Old Testament books traditionally known as “The Writings”— Psalms, Chronicles, Proverbs, Daniel, Ruth and more! Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Psalm 46

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. And the time it takes to get to work. I'm Jensen Holt-McNair. As I was reading today's passage, I couldn't help but be struck by the comfort that Psalm 46 brought me. My heart needed its reminder today, and I'm guessing that there are many of you who might feel the same. Maybe you, like me, find yourself anxious and overwhelmed by the chaos of the world around you. In my life, that chaos can take many shapes. political unrest, toddler meltdowns, fracturing family relationships, loneliness, friendships

growing distant, to-do lists piling on top of one another with no end in sight. Wherever you are, whatever life stage you find yourself in, chances are you can look around and find an area of your life where things feel unsettled, chaotic, overwhelming. Where is that for you? I want you to right now, actually take a moment, to think of the chaotic place or places in your life that are maybe making you feel anxious, overwhelmed, unsettled. So now that we have that place in mind, I want us to read Psalm 46 to the choir master of the sons of Cora, according to Alamoth, a song. God is our refuge in strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God. The holy habitation of the most high, God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns.

The nation's rage, the kingdoms totter. He utters his voice. The earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come, behold, the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots with fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. the God of Jacob is our fortress. So first, you may have noticed that this psalm begins with a reminder

that it is a song, a song that is to be sung in community as the people of God. In its original context, those people were the nation of Israel. The psalm was written as a reminder to the nation of Israel that he had chosen them to be his people. And because he has chosen them, they can find peace. They're to sing out to God that he is their refuge and strength, their present help in times of trouble. Even as all kinds of chaos surrounds them, the earth gives away, mountains are moved into the sea, waters, roar, nations, rage, kingdoms totter, they will not fear. Why? Well, it's repeated twice in this Psalm. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortune. The Lord is with them. He has chosen them to be his people. He has made his dwelling place among them in his temple. Their powerful God Yahweh is with them, the one whose voice commands the earth, whose presence brings joy and peace to the nations, who overcomes the powers of this world with ease they are called to be still. In the midst of wars, be still. In the midst of trouble, be still. Do not fear.

Be still. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The God who chose them is powerful. He is in control. He chose them for a purpose. He chose them so that they could bring all the nations of the world to him, to know him, to exalt him, to call him Lord. Now, as we read this Psalm, we should see the parallels of meaning for us today. We're not the ancient Israelites. God does not dwell in a temple in our capital city. But that does not mean he's no longer with us. John 1.14 tells us the word God became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. So in Jesus, God became man and made His God. his dwelling place among us, his people. God lived among us. He lived in the chaos of this world. He calmed raging seas. He cast out demons. He commanded the lame to walk in the blind sea. And in his death and resurrection, his throne was established. His kingdom was established an everlasting kingdom with no rival and no end. And before Jesus ascended back to the father, he said this to his disciples, to his people. Then Jesus came to them and said,

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. God's people are expanding. The nations are welcome. His people are to be a light to go out and spread the good news about his kingdom of love, justice, and peace. And through the presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life, God will be with you always.

We know the end of the story. The psalmist has already told us. We can be still and know that he is God. That in the end he will be exalted over the whole earth. He will establish his kingdom. His people will dwell with him in his eternal city. The Lord of hosts has promised to be with us always. There is nothing. nothing you will face. Nothing you will walk through, no trouble, no chaos, no enemy you will stand up against alone. The Lord of hosts is with you. And so, in the midst of chaos, be still, in the midst of political unrest, be still, in the midst of fracturing families, be still, in the midst of injustice, be still. In the midst of depression, be still. In the midst of loneliness, be still. In the midst of the newborn phase or the toddler phase or the teenage phase, be still and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. When the troubles and chaos of this life threatened to overwhelm you, when you feel the fear and worry, and anxiety building up in your heart, be still. Be still and remember who your God is. Remember that he is powerful. He is mighty. He is in control. Remember that he has chosen you, rescued you, given you a place and a purpose in his kingdom. Remember that he is king and no matter who is in power, no matter what you face today, he will reign forever. You are a citizen of the kingdom of God. No matter what chaos surrounds you, whatever came to your mind in the midst of your troubles,

God is with you. His kingdom is secure. Do not fear. Instead, be still and rest in him. He is your refuge. He is your strength. He is your very present help in trouble. I want you to do that today. To experience God as your refuge, as your strength, as your help in trouble, as you come before him in stillness. So whatever trouble came to your mind today, I want you to bring it to God. Share your worries, your fears, your anxieties about it with God. And then ask him to help you trust that he's in control.

Ask him to help you believe that no matter what happens in this life, his kingdom is secure, and he is with you, keeping you, until the day that he returns and brings you to live alongside him in his kingdom. And then I want you to look up the songs, Psalm 46, Lord of hosts by Shane and Shane. And listen to that song. Listen to it today, once, twice, as many times as you want. See, this Psalm was meant to be sung by God's people. So be still with God and reflect on the words of this passage as they're sung over you. God, we ask that as we spend

time resting in you today, that you would comfort our hearts and minds. I ask that you would bring peace to your people, that we would know that you are with us. No matter what troubles we face today, you are our refuge. May we experience the lasting peace that comes with knowing that you are with us always. Our hope is in you alone, God. Amen.