God is Our Very Present Help

I love the above words taken from Psalm 46, because it reminds me that God is with us, in the here and now, in our present circumstances, whatever they may be, strengthening us. He is the only safe refuge and dwelling place from every kind of storm that assails our lives. He is forever faithful and true to His word that He never leaves nor forsakes us at any time.

The words ‘very present help’ are strangely comforting, for they remind us that God, in this present moment, is standing right with us, as well as being in us, if we know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, waiting for us to call out urgently to Him, and, because nothing takes Him by surprise and He already has the answer, we can be reassured.

In verse 2 of the same chapter, the Psalmist goes on to declare that, because God is present to help, we don’t need to be afraid, whatever happens.

The prophet Elisha was aware of this when he and his manservant woke up to find themselves surrounded by their enemies. He confidently declared, “Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16). When he shared this with his terrified, panicking servant, immediately fear was banished, as God opened the servant’s eyes to the real truth of the situation.

In these strange days, when the world is plunged into turmoil, and people wake up to unexpected storms of various kinds, the truth of these scriptures still rings down through the ages, reassuring and keeping our hearts and minds, as it kept Elisha and his servant, from succumbing to fear.

Just as God was with Elisha and his servant in their hour of need, so God and the whole host of heaven are with us in this challenging season. Don’t let the enemy tell you otherwise. Jesus encouraged us not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid (John 14:27), because He has overcome the world. So, though fear and anxiety stalk the streets of the nations, the bible says we must give no place to the enemy. We have to choose not to be afraid and remember to call on the name of the Lord. He is our very present help, our safe harbour. So whatever you may be facing today, you can rest assured the Lord is with you, and the presence of Jesus makes all the difference.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You are our strong tower, and in these turbulent times You are always our very present help. We thank You that Your presence surrounds us at all times and in all situations, and there is nothing that is impossible with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.