Psalm 46:1-3 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.”  NKJV

Something I want to convey and hope you see is that Hezekiah refused to rush into prayer frantic and panicked.  God is God and he was renewing his understanding of who God is.  Nothing about this makes sense to his senses.  Thoughts were flooding his mind and his entire world is buzzing with fear and paralysis. What is he to do?  What if he gets this wrong?

In his inner being, he is hearing STOP!  BE STILL and realize who you are talking to!  You are talking to the ALMIGHTY CREATOR OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, JEHOVAH GOD!  As you realize that, now go to prayer!  Do you see it?  If you understand that you are talking to GOD and realize that the fact you are talking to God is an evidence of faith, NOW  you can stop trying to find a solution, HE IS THE SOLUTION.  You do not have to manufacture an answer, HE IS THE ANSWER!

The Holy Spirit was the one prompting Hezekiah to pray.  He will urge us but he will not make us pray.  He leads us to the water but we have to drink. This was new ground for Hezekiah.  Hezekiah had grown up reading the early parts of the Bible (Genesis to Judges).  In that record, there were accounts back to when God did exploits and even destroyed entire armies.  It was a long time ago in history for Hezekiah that God parted the red sea and the walls of Jericho fell flat.  He had read it and heard it but he had never “seen it”.  Now, he stands paralyzed in fear facing an impossible situation and the Holy Spirit nudges him to ASK, ASK, and ASK!  Hezekiah does!  That is the miracle and that is the demonstration of faith.  That is the “new ground” upon with Hezekiah is standing.  He has opened himself up to experience what he has only read about and now in his helplessness he bathes in the sunlight of WHO GOD IS!

The problem with us is that we try too hard to produce something that only God can give.  I want you to see that this man, Hezekiah, a man standing in very little faith opened the door for God to enter human history and accomplish an incredible miracle.  Remember, there were two men, Hezekiah, and Isaiah.  Isaiah was a man of great faith and he already understood HOW to hear the voice of God.  I find it interesting that Isaiah did the same thing Hezekiah did.  He became STILL and in becoming STILL he sees God.  It is the same process only on a deeper level.  Then after this was over, Isaiah wrote down what had happened to them and we call that Psalm 46.  It is Isaiah describing what happened in an emergency or crisis and details what happens when he BECAME STILL before the Lord.

Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  That is powerful, especially in light of the account we have discussed.  That could be translated, “God is abundantly available for help in tight places.”  He does not plead for God to be his refuge he declares GOD IS MY REFUGE.  One of our problems is we feel that we have to somehow get got into action.  NO!  He is God!  HE IS THAT HE IS!  He is the Eternal God of All Creation!  We don’t have to get Him to be HE IS.  We don’t manipulate, coerce, or convince Him, HE IS!

HE IS could be two of the most important words in our Christian vocabulary.  If we can grasp those two words we will soar into the realm of faith and never again beg God for anything, but rather receive WHO HE IS.  That is how he could say in Psalm 46:2, “Therefore we will not fear…”  In the midst of the storm, WE DO NOT FEAR because HE IS…  “…even though the earth be moved, and the mountains be carried into the sea…”  NO FEAR because HE IS!  Then verse three, “Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.”  NO FEAR!  Sennacherib is threatening but GOD IS GOD!  If you read, Psalm 46:1-5 you will read that he has not yet prayed.  He is still basking in WHO GOD IS.   When he does pray he is praying in full view of WHO GOD IS.  Talk about giving new impetus to our prayers.  We are not begging in desperation but coming boldly before the throne in full view of WHO HE IS!

That is new ground for many believers today.  We spend a lot of time asking and too little time sunbathing in His presence and as we soak up the rays of His presence we ask with faith and pray the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous and see God move powerfully!  Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still (cease striving) and know that I AM GOD!” 

Be still means in the Hebrew, “to slacken, idle, hang out, sink down, or relax.”  That is Incredible!  God says, “When all hell is breaking around you and coming against you, RELAX, hang out, mellow out, and be still for I AM GOD!”  When you are in a panic and feel you have to do something you have already lost the battle. The first step of faith is to HANG OUT WITH GOD, relax and be still and know that He is God!  As you still yourself in His presence you get tuned into His person and power and then when you pray you are praying in a power and faith you have never known!

So when trouble comes to our door what do we speak?  JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!  We speak, THE BLOOD OF JESUS HAS BEEN SHED and is now the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant.  We speak, WE ARE SEATED WITH CHRIST IN HEAVENLY PLACES.  Because, when Jesus died on the Cross He cried IT IS FINISHED.  I cannot emphasize emphatically enough the first thing we are to do is BE STILL AND KNOW HE IS GOD!  We want a formula but God is not a formula HE IS GOD!

            God bless you as you continue your journey through this thing called life.  Abundant Blessings is the prayer and desire of my heart for each one today.