When prayer seems unanswered, we may wonder if God knows what is happening in our hurt or troubles. How do we know God is close to us through the desperate days? What does this Psalm assure for the child of God?
Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised the disciples, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). He prefaced that declaration by saying, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18).
With His nearness, we rest in His power and authority over everything we face, and in troubled times, His peace comes like a river that washes over us.
The Secret Place of His Presence
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
We find God’s embrace through His presence. I can’t be in the bedroom when I’m in the kitchen, but this chapter reminds us that God is omnipresent, everywhere, present with His whole being, unlimited by time or space. Ever-present God is with us, always!
One of life’s greatest pleasures is recognizing His presence. As the words of this chorus say, “Shut in with God in the secret place, there in His presence beholding His face. Gaining new power to run in the race, I long to be shut in with God.”
Whether through times of worship, reading His Word, hearing a sermon or testimony that moves us, or sitting at the piano praising the Lord, His presence ushers us to a “secret place” where He is near.
Troubles begin to vanish in that secret place, and God looms larger and troubles smaller. A line from the song Sitting at the Feet of Jesus says, “Where can mortals be more blessed?” Indeed.
The “ever-present” God is constantly and consistently with us. David experienced that truth. “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7-8).
Being in the storms of life — losing a loved one, going through a divorce, money worries, or fear over the world’s chaos — may seem insurmountable, like mountains crashing into the sea. But even in the worst days of life, God says, “Don’t be afraid; I am with you.”
Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging (Psalm 46:2-3).
The secret place of God’s presence gives us the strength to face the day, accompanied by His unrivaled authority over every situation we face.
The Secret Power of His Authority
“All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).
Joyful-Echoes 