Selah

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here are times in the Christian life when it is impossible to see the road ahead.  Clouds darken the sky, the road is rocky and steep, the winds of adversity blow, the rains of fear chill our very souls, and claps of dreadful thunder echo all around the lonely valley through which we are traveling.

We are hemmed in on every side by doubt, worry, frustration, and it seems that no help is present, no relief is in sight, and the road has no end.  What we need at such a time is assurance. Not a pat on the back, not a series of compliments, not a pep talk, and not another plaque to hang on our wall telling us how wonderful we are.

 No!  What we need is a strong steady hand to squeeze ours, to let us know everything is all right.  What we need is something to hold to that will not be swayed, shaken, changed, or affected by the circumstances surrounding us.  What we need is an encouraging word from God himself.

Although the Bible is filled with such passages, there is one I have found to be a source of great strength, encouragement, and an immoveable anchor in times of storm.  That passage is Psalm 46 and I offer the entire passage to you today.  The word Selah, means stop and think about what has just been said. 

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t is my prayer for you that wherever your walk takes you today, that you will apply the words of this psalm to your life, that you will take hold of God’s hand and squeeze more firmly, and that you will let him be your anchor in the midst of

life’s storms. It is always best to listen to God’s voice and to let him speak for himself!

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

⁸ Come and see the works of the Lord ,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

¹¹ The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah