Psalm 46:10 | Beauty Observed

My “unword” for the year is “unafraid.” This year, I was kicking fear to the curb! And yet, here I was, laying in bed again, eyes wide open, gripped with fear. I was sure that the information I had was reliable. The threat was imminent. I tossed and turned all night, crying out to the Lord for help with this situation. Sleep would not come.

In the morning, with fear still balled up in my stomach, I made my way downstairs. All I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with my laptop and a pair of headphones and lose myself in Netflix to ease the pain. But, really? How many times had that helped in the past?

Instead, I went to the chair that I do my devotions in. Several years ago, a friend told me about Professor Grant Horner’s Bible reading method and I’m still using it. Feeling raw, I knew I couldn’t process all ten chapters today, so I turned to Psalms. My Bible opened at bookmark #6 and I began reading.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore, we will not fear, ….

And I started to bawl. Tears falling down my face bawling. And the knot of fear in my stomach released. I continued reading through my tears.

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…..

The “thing” I was facing was no where near as scary as watching a mountain fall into the sea.

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

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.

He is so faithful. He is so loving. He has us in the palm of His hand.

And that “thing” that kept me up all night? It didn’t even happen. But, I am grateful for it, because this living God that I serve gave me a gift that I have continued to carry through these last few days. And that is beautiful.