Stress is a natural part of life. In
physical terms, muscles etc. couldn’t work unless put under a certain amount of
stress… but equally, in physical terms, whether it is a muscle or a metal, there is a
difference between stress, and strain which ultimately leads to breakdown.
This is true of our emotional and
spiritual wellbeing too. A certain amount of stress in not only natural, but
also helpful. My blood pressure is on the low side of normal, and I have often
joked with the nurse who regularly measures it that it is only
stress that keeps me upright!
But you can’t live under significant stress
forever and there are times when the extent of stress leads to a catastrophic
breakdown. The earth seems to shake and give way and those things that seemed
to be immovable mountains, fall into the heart of the sea.
Psalm 46 speaks into times of national
disaster and personal catastrophe. I originally wrote the following paraphrase on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, but it as I reblog it now as part of our weekly series on the Psalms, it is also appropriate for me and my family as we juggle more than our usual quota of stress.
God is
our strength and a safe place to hide,
In time of trouble he’s always there to
help.
So we
will not fear, even if the earth should shake
And mountains be reduced to rubble,
though
the seas rage and roar
and cities be swept away in the surge.
Pause
The River of Life
sustains the city of God ,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is
within her walls, so she will stand;
God will ride to her
rescue with the rising sun.
Nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms fall;
The I AM speaks, and the whole earth dissolves .
Nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms fall;
The I AM speaks, and the whole earth dissolves .
The Almighty I AM is always with us;
The
God of promise is our protector.
Pause
Come and see what I AM can do,
Sweeping away what we thought to be
indestructible.
He will bring war to an end
From one end of the world to another;
Putting weapons beyond use eternally
And disarming hearts and minds.
Stop. Be
still. Know that I AM is God;
I will be exalted among
all nations,
I will be exalted over all the earth.
The Almighty I AM is always with us;
The
God of promise is our protector.
Psalms 46:1-11
Selah
Comments