Once a month – every 29.5 days according to NASA, we have a full moon where the sun fully illuminates the moon’s visible disk. We observe full moons in the clear nighttime skies without much thought. But long known to those in law enforcement or medicine, full moons can trigger behavioral and physical changes. Scientists conclude full moons increase the gravitational pull on the water in our bodies. More police and medical calls occur on full moon nights with an uptick in violence and behavioral calls. Some hospitals are even proactive to this and schedule additional staff.
But full moon cycles do not explain our country’s sharp increase in violence. Every single day in April, our country has experienced at least one mass casualty event. People are far more fearful for their safety than ever before.
Approaching this theologically – the words we go to are as old as creation itself– cosmos and chaos. In Genesis 1, out of the chaos, God brought cosmos into being giving creation order, meaning, and purpose. But ever since the first original sin, evil’s intent is to remove cosmos and replace it with chaos. But the timelessness of Psalm 46 reverberates “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.”
Yet - How many of us in our own lifetimes haven’t pulled into the wrong driveway, knocked on the wrong door, absent-mindedly lifted the door handle to the wrong car, or lost control of a frisbee that enters another yard? Why is it that in just the last week, accidents like these trigger violent reactions?
Others are living their lives haphazardly doing what is right in their own eyes precipitating chaos over cosmos. Many of the places we used to consider safe now leave a what-if question in the back of our minds. Why does anarchy seem so appealing to those who reject law and disrespect authority? There is such a carelessness for life including the care for the unborn with the abortion pill methapristone and the firestorm of support for continuing to make it available by mail. We feel helpless to make an impact. And the timeless Psalm 46 speaks into our deepest crisis moments “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD”
Psalm 46 directs us to rely on God especially as we face the unknown hazards in this life – hazards out of the chaos we can’t control – Last week, we reflected on our sense of trust in God with Psalm 16. When we put our trust in someone, it involves a level of self-denial on our part. Reliance goes even further to be a bastion of trust in moments of need or crisis. Out of that helplessness, the Sons of Korah composed this three stanza Psalm of Praise for public worship. Yet its timelessness quality applies to our own sense of chaos we live with today.
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Where does one find their refuge in times of hazard, danger, or chaos? That’s the question the Sons of Korah are trying to answer on Jerusalem’s behalf. In our modern age, we have managed hazards to some degree with insurance in all its many varieties – home and auto, medical, disability, and life, or even the identity theft policy I had to trigger this week – We rely on 911 for emergency help. Under God’s sovereignty, there is no hazard or event that is outside of God’s control. We speak to these hazards and tragedies as being part of God’s permissive will for which there is a divine purpose or plan behind it. The Psalmists point to God being the best one to turn too when the unexpected happens.
Stanza one is made up of verses 1-3. It speaks to the hazards that we face in the power of the storm and other so-called natural disasters. We do not have the power to stop the storm, turn a tornado on the ground, or avoid the hazards of large hailstones. Adults and children can all recall a time where a particularly loud crack of thunder out of the blue jolted them awake. I also remember a sleepover at my grandparents, when as a preschooler, I ended up between them in a fierce storm, and grandpa covered my ear to damper the sound safe in bed. Would that we could have someone cover our ears at the next breaking news story.
Looking closer at this verse about God being our refuge - What’s interesting in that is most instances a refuge is a place of safety we go to – We go with what we have and head into shelter, a cave, a basement, a tornado, or other storm shelter. On our way to college, we had to seek shelter in a stranger’s home because the roads were impassable with blowing snow and drifts. But in this Psalm, the refuge is not a place but a person – namely God who is worthy of all trust and reliance – identified as the God of Jacob. It’s also not hard to anticipate Jesus in this Psalm who merely with words calmed the stormy seas threatening to capsize and take down their fishing boat. Jesus calls out Peace Be Still just as the Psalmist’s refrain echoes - And the Psalmists refrain echoes “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD” in whatever storm of life we may be facing.
The Second Stanza covers verses 4-7 – The Psalmists turn their attention to the well-being of the city of Jerusalem. In his commentary, Van Vliet speaks to the irony of water. When it rises above flood stage and rages, water can cause much destruction and even death. When water flows gently it promotes life, refreshes, the parched tongue, waters the crops and animals, and offers great joy with recreation. In ancient times, every city needed a decent water supply. And it is here the Sons of Korah refer to the presence of water – a river whose streams make glad the city of God. Yet the nearest river to Jerusalem is about an 18 mile hike – The Jordan River. But as we said, Jerusalem’s water supply came not from a river, but by a mere spring. At face value, it doesn’t sound very reliable. This is their way of highlighting God’s providential care for Jerusalem and her people.
Similarly, Christ speaks to himself with lifegiving water imagery – that whoever drinks of his living water will never thirst. Our reliance for hope and purpose in this life redirects us to Christ. He taught us not to worry about the future even when the cosmos appears to be giving way to chaos. That in Jesus Christ, the Psalmists refrain echoes “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD”
The Third Stanza in verses 8-10 also speaks to hazards out of Jerusalem’s control and ours as well – the chaos of war, escalating tensions between nations, and violence. Jerusalem had its enemies, so does the United States - Though we should never make the mistake of equating the United States with God’s Promised Land. Yet escalating violence and the moral breakdown from within poses a greater risk rather than outside threats. At the same time, there are increasing tensions between nations and our allies who we have pledged to support. What would it mean for our nation to be drawn into a large-scale war with modern arms? Yet the Psalmist’s refrain echoes “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.”
Our takeaway is God is sovereign over every nation on the face of the earth. Jesus is still the head of the body, the Church. The church of Jesus Christ has been waiting for his return. We don’t know when he is coming but we do know every day that passes is one day closer to when he does. When it comes to the signs Jesus said in Luke 21 - When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. "These things must happen first, but the end will come later." (“Luke 21:5–11 ESV - And while some were speaking… | Biblia”) Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. But we do not have need to live in fear even though our hearts hurt for the victims.
For the Lord Almighty is with us – The God of Jacob is our fortress. Across the gamut of the hazards we face, we can take comfort that God’s presence is with us as Christ promised to be with us. And the words of the Psalmists echo with even richer meaning– “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.”
It doesn’t mean that we will be spared from every hazard. Some Christians think that Jesus is the ultimate insurance policy to protect them from every hazard – it’s a conclusion that comes with the heresy of the health and wealth Gospel that God just wants us to be happy. But under God’s permissive will and his exceptional wisdom and planning, his ways and purposes are perfect even if the resulting hazard impacts us.
But even now, our ultimate takeaway is that God’s cosmos – his order and his planning are sovereign and cannot be undermined by Chaos. Under Christ’s supreme Lordship, nothing is out of his control.
When you hear stories and breaking headlines on the news with untold violence – pray those words – BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
When the unknown of the future, test results, or other situations are stoking your fears – pray these words – BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
When your week is such that so many things are all happening at once that you can’t seem to get a handle on it – pray these words – Be STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD
We’ll close our time today in prayer with a litany entitled A Litany for Chaos by Fran Pratt at Peace of Christ Church in Round Rock Texas. Let’s pray.
