WHO IS THE LORD TO YOU?
Psalm 46:1-3 NKJV
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
When I pose the question: who is the Lord to you, the answer is not so much theological as it is personal. Yes, the theology must be correct, but there is a greater purpose behind the question.
One of the beautiful elements of the Psalms is the psalmist's expressions of God and who God is to them. David wrote many of the psalms, where his perspective of God is seen. One of his most beautiful examples is the 23rd Psalm; the Lord is my Shepherd. When we understand that these are divinely inspired words, then we get a picture of who God was to these writers and who God can be to us.
God is our refuge and strength. Those are powerful words meant to convey a truth. These words are not intended to simply sound beautiful and poetic; they reveal aspects of God that can be applied to our lives. So now we can say that God is my refuge and strength. I don't think I have called God my refuge, my safe place, the One who protects me, but what a revelation. And not only is God my protection, but He is also my strength. I do not have to depend on my own strength. The Lord is the strength of my life. These words sound beautiful in the Psalms but can ring a bit hollow when we apply them to us personally. And yet, that is the reason they are there. Not simply to point to who God is but who God can be to us.
Many of us have already done something similar in our lives. When we confessed Jesus as our Lord personally is when we opened the door to Him. Believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths, according to Romans 10:9, brings salvation. So, the same principle of faith works in other areas too. We can believe in our hearts and proclaim with our mouths that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. In no way are we changing or moving the great Creator of the universe, but we are opening the door to Him in those areas.
Think about people you know who believe God is harsh and will hurt them or has caused the heartache in their lives. Have you noticed how little they look to the Lord or receive from Him? And compare that with some of the most godly people that you know who believe God is good and good to them. Have you observed how God is moving in their lives and how they seem to possess a strength and stability that is inspiring? God is not a respecter of people, but He comes close to those who come close to Him.
So, as you look to the Lord and praise Him, don't just praise Him for being great and strong. Praise Him that He is your God, your Father, and He takes care of you. Praise Him that He is your refuge and strength and a very present help in times of trouble. At first, these words may seem strange. The strangeness is because the words are new to you. But if you will stay with expressing who God is to you, then the Psalmist's words can become your words. And as that happens, God becomes more real to you in those areas.
He's not just a big, powerful God. He is a big, powerful God to me personally!