Daily Devotional

-August 10, 2021-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

-God Has Our Back-

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

(Psalm 46:1).

Psalm 46 is a psalm of the sons of Korah, who were Levites who served in the tabernacle and later in the temple. There are eleven of these psalms: 42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87, and 88. These beautiful psalms reflect a spirit of thanksgiving and humility before our great and awesome God.

There is a modern expression that certainly fits how God cares for us that says, “You have my back,” meaning that someone is always watching over us. It may be a friend, family member, or fellow believer. Even as loving and conscientious as they may be, they can fail us; God never fails us. This is evidenced by today’s verse: He is our refuge, strength, and help. He has our back always, 24-7, 365.

A refuge is a place of safety, security, and solace that we can flee to or dwell in. God is our refuge. We can come into His presence at anytime we are afraid. He will comfort and encourage us as no one else can.

He is also our strength in our times of weakness, sickness, and injury. We have all experienced times when we thought we could not go on, but the Lord gave us the strength to keep going. Runners have an expression that is called “a second wind.” They start to feel better and can keep on running to the finish line.

God is also our help in times of trouble. He interferes for us and intervenes on our behalf. In the days of the prophet Samuel, he took a stone and named it Ebenezer, meaning “stone of help.” He told the Israelites who faced the Philistines in 1 Samuel 7:12, “…Thus far the Lord has helped us.” God helped them subdue the Philistines and take back the territory they had taken from them.

Thus, God is our constant refuge, strength, and help. He always has our back. He sees what we cannot see, knows what we cannot know, and hears what we cannot hear. Who else is better qualified and able to protect us, guide us, and help us. Even if one doesn’t have anyone in life to have our back, God is always there for us which is far greater than anyone else.

The great hymn writer Isaac Watts wrote, “O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home! Under the shadow of Thy throne still may we dwell secure; sufficient is Thine arm alone, and our defense is sure.”

Have a blessed day turning to the Lord for refuge, strength, and help especially in times of trouble. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean