Not a Threat
I had finally removed the morning’s distractions and was pecking away at my keyboard when our miniature guard dogs lost their little minds, barking and growling from their perch atop an ottoman in the front window. The object of their ire is usually the Amazon delivery guy or someone walking their dog, but the barking was unusually frantic. Could there be a legitimate cause for their alarm? Nah. They’d stop in a minute.
Many noisy minutes passed until my concentration finally hit its limit, and I trudged downstairs to investigate the source of their racket. There were no interlopers or packages on the front porch, and no dogs or walkers in the street.
I went back to my writing. Their protests erupted once again. After much more of their mayhem, I finally had the good idea to crouch at their eye level to see what they must be seeing.
The culprit? A large piece of brown packing paper that had blown into our yard. Interestingly, the dogs had just been outside, and the paper was there the whole time, but they either didn’t notice it or didn’t find it menacing. Maybe, once they were inside, it blew further into the yard, seemingly self-animating as they watched from the window. Whatever the case, they were freaking out over nothing - a piece of paper that had no power to do anything but keep plates from breaking during a move.
I valiantly conquered the paper and brought it into the house for their inspection. My brave animals trepidatiously met me at the door. I presented the conquest. They recoiled. Then, at my coaxing, they approached the source of their alarm. They eventually agreed it was nothing and returned to their post, scanning for basset hounds and delivery drivers.
Their alarm over such an easily remedied trespass amused me because I had just been discussing scripture that suited the moment with friends. You’re probably familiar with it. “Be still and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10 NLT
That may sound passive, but let me share the entirety of Psalm 46 with you:
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
Interlude
A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it. The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders and the earth melts! The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.
Interlude
Come, see the glorious works of the LORD: See how he brings destruction upon the world. He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.”
What a description of God’s formidable power and protection! Psalm 46 reminds me that I’m small and God is big. I don’t have his perspective or his power.
Just as my ferocious little friends didn’t understand that the paper bag was harmless, I don’t always recognize my perceived threats as imaginary. Just as they wouldn’t have been able to fight it off had it been a real threat, I don’t always have the power to defeat legitimate threats in my life. The good news is that Jesus does. Jesus has the power and the authority to crush any actual danger. Nothing is a threat to him. Everything in the universe is a limp piece of paper compared to his sovereignty. He is not conquerable. And he freely offers to enter our circumstances and fight on our behalf.
That doesn’t mean we don’t have anything to do. We do have to cooperate with and obey God. We can’t just sit around and expect Him to do everything for us. If we need money, we need to work. If we want to be healthy, we need to take care of ourselves. But there is a point at which human effort fails, and we need a hero bigger than ourselves.
We are not meant to be autonomous. God created us to be in a relationship with him. He is ready to help, bringing peace to any trouble. He may not remedy our situation in the way we hope or as quickly and easily as we would prefer, but it’s encouraging to remember that God’s first concern is not our comfort but our growth. He offers to be with us and to give us peace and strength in our difficulties, not to make them disappear. Jesus told his disciples (those who had dedicated their lives to him and were his closest friends) “I have told you this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT) Even Jesus’ best buddies weren’t spared heartache and difficulty. There is pain in the world, and no one can escape it. But we never endure it alone. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
We might as well accept that life will not be fair or easy. We live in a corrupt world. Bad things happen. But, as children of the Most High God, our very worst-case scenario is death, and even then, our eternal lives are protected. “He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” according to 1Corinthians 15:57.
During this challenging life, we are promised peace that makes no sense and joy that has nothing to do with our circumstances. Philippians 4:7 says, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” We have hope in every situation, not just for this life but for eternity.
Have you invited Jesus into your problems? He invites you to ask him for what you need. Then ask him to give you his perspective and his peace. He can help you see the the impotence of whatever problem you may face in the presence of our Shepherd. It is like a lifeless piece of paper tossed in the grass. Whatever is frightening you —whether a worry that may never happen (as is true for most worries) or a genuinely threatening event —I hope you’ll be encouraged by Psalm 46 and receive a revelation of the all-powerful God who is on your side. Then be still and know that he is God.