My Psalm 46

This Tuesday (September 11th 2007) at the area wide minister's/leader's meeting, in remembrance of September 11th and the on going conflicts, Mike Anglin, of the Silver Spring Church of Christ, read Psalm 46. With this Psalm in mind every minister, elder and church leader present prayed. It was a powerful morning and one I won't soon forget. As I listened to all the prayers around me two thoughts came into my mind. First was that the LORD had entrusted us all with a sacred trust to be ministers in His church. A minister is not just someone who works for a church but every believer is called to be a minister. Every believer has been blessed with ministry. We just have to open our hearts and ears to see whom we are to minister to or how we are to minister.

The second thought was to personalize Psalm 46. It is one thing to read an encouraging piece of scripture like Psalm 46 it is another to put yourself into that Scripture. So I rewrote Psalm 46 with "I"s and "mine" instead of "us" and "ours". The truth of this psalm was not just for those who first wrote and or read it. No, the truth is for me and you today.

God is my refuge and strength,

my ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore I will not fear,

though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah

I know there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

I know God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.

I see the nations are in uproar and kingdoms fall;

God lifts his voice and the earth melts.

The LORD Almighty is with me;

the God of Jacob is my fortress. Selah

You need to come and see the works of the LORD,

see the desolations he has brought on the earth.

Look He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear,

He burns the shields 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 Almighty is with me;

the God of Jacob is my fortress. Selah