There are days, often weeks,
occasionally months, and even seasons when we are serving a team experiencing
failure and loses a lot. Losing streaks and losing seasons are terribly painful
and frustrating, even for the team chaplain or character coach. To not
empathize with their situation keeps us at a distance and diminishes the
relationships we intend to build. Even as we maintain perspective and
communicate hope and support, we will surely experience the club’s failure and
feel the pain of loss.
The psalmist expressed his
heart, crushed by failure and loss, but with perspective buoyed by hope in
Psalm 46.
God is our refuge and
strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
The psalmist will trust in
God even when the two greatest symbols of constancy and power would be shaken.
The mountains and the sea could each be in turmoil, but God would continue to
be his very present help in trouble.
There is a river whose
streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
In this second stanza the psalmist considers
the volatile nature of international relations, the security of his home city, and
the Lord’s faithful power. When the nations make an uproar and totter kingdoms,
the Lord simply raises His voice and the earth melts. He finds safety and
security in his Lord.
Come, behold the works of
the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
In stanza three the psalmist
pulls back the focus and looks broadly at the scope of the Lord’s works across
the world. He sees His hand in desolations, in the cessation of wars, and in
the destruction of armies. He hears the Lord’s voice of comfort and assurance
that He is in charge. He will be lifted up in the sight of all nations. The Lord
is with us. He is our stronghold.
This psalm speaks to our
hearts in the midst of failure and losing. It speaks comfort, it speaks trust,
it speaks faith. Though the strength of our team is compromised, God is with
us. Though we experience the volatility of sports culture and hear the noise of
rivals’ voices, The Lord is our source of safety and security. Let’s join the
psalmist in pulling back our focus to see the Lord’s work in our team, in our
sport, in our relationships. He speaks these words to us and to those we serve,
“Cease striving and know
that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” We can trust Him in every circumstance.
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” We can trust Him in every circumstance.
p.s. One of my favorite authors, Eugene Peterson, died last week. I love
his translations of the psalms in The Message. Here is a link to a You Tube
video featuring Bono from U2 and Eugene Peterson as they discuss how the Psalms
have shaped their lives in Christ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l40S5e90KY
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