Evening Scripture

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

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

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

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

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

Evening Reflection

No matter what kind of craziness is going on in the world around us, even when it seems like it’s spinning out of control and crumbling before our eyes, we can find peace in the midst of it. For those who don’t know the Lord, it doesn’t seem possible, but to those who know the Prince of Peace, we’ve experienced it over and over again. 

We’ve learned and come to know that God truly is our refuge and strength in ever-present trouble, even more and especially so when we can’t control what’s happening around us. When it seems like there is no place to run or turn, or a lifesaving buoy to grab onto, or a bomb shelter to run to, there is God; ever present, strong, and faithful, offering us peace when it doesn’t look possible, quieting our hearts and minds while chaos spins around us.

Whether it’s a world that feels spinning out of control with wars, rumors of wars, natural and man-made disasters happening around us; or personal life turmoil tangled up in anxiety, stress, disappointment, and more occurring deep within us; or when it seems like our relationships, careers, and possessions are all falling apart in front of us, still, we can find peace because God is here for us. With God, we find a peace that prepares us, sustains us during the most difficult of times, and leads us in victory to overcome the world.

Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Evening Prayer

God,
My heart takes comfort in knowing that whatever is going on around me, within me, and on the earth, whether personal or in the world in general, I can come to You and find peace; the kind of peace that is more than my mind can comprehend and goes beyond my own understanding. Because Your peace is real and available to me, no matter what trouble is surrounding me or inside of me, I can come to You and find peace.
Amen

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