Our Unshakable Refuge

Weekday Posts
Written By Dean Collins

By Dean Collins

As I read Psalm 46 this morning, it struck me that the opening verse and the closing verse anchor the entire psalm. Verse 1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” And verse 11: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” The first verse assures us that our refuge, our strength, and our help come from the Lord. And the last verse reminds us the God who is over all of creation is our fortress of protection and strength.  

In between these two verses we find supporting evidence for why we can have great confidence that God is a reliable anchor in the big and little storms of life. These middle verses are rich in their reminders of God’s strength and reliability in the past and how he remains the same reliable refuge today and will be tomorrow as well.

He is our source of protection and our courage in nature, in war, in times of peace, and will be our final victory when Jesus returns to renew all things. Bible scholars have a two-dollar word for how things will finally resolve for creation: eschatology. It isn’t a Bible term but a word that gives language to our understanding of the second coming of Christ, to final judgement, and to the ultimate renewal and restoration that God has planned for all of creation, including you and me.

This psalm has an “eschatological” tone as we get to the last verses. We can’t be sure if the psalmist tells the reader to see, “How he makes wars cease to the end of the earth,” making reference to previous victories God has provided, or if he is speaking to the day when all wars cease. Maybe both. 

But whichever it is, we are to be still and know that he is God and will be exalted among the nations and on all the earth. Two New Testament passages come to mind to make us consider that this may be a reference to the final coming of Jesus.

In Hebrews 6:17-20 we find a beautiful reminder of the reliability of our God. We see in verses 19 and 20 that our anchor verses of Psalm 46 are possible because Jesus made them possible and is now the anchor of our soul. Jesus experienced all the temptations and storms this broken world had to dish out, and he went through death and now is resurrected, which gives us assurance that we will see ultimate victory as well. 

In Philippians we learn that because of the sacrifice and humility of Jesus, he will forever be exalted and acknowledged as Lord by everyone when he returns. 

When we read the familiar instruction to “be still and know that I am God,” we would do well to do this not occasionally but daily. It is in this stillness where the God of creation reveals himself to us, reminds us of his track record, and points us to Jesus, who will see us through even until earth is renewed and we share in God’s glorious and eternal kingdom.

Father, thank you for the gift of assurance we find in Jesus. Help us find our peace and protection in you both today and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 46:1-11; Hebrews 6:19-20; Philippians 2:9-11 ESV

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Dean Collins

Pastor, campus minister, counselor, corporate employee, Fortune 500 consultant, college president—Dean brings a wide range of experiences and perspectives to his daily walk with God’s Word. 

In 1979 he founded Auburn Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational campus ministry that still thrives today. In 1989 he founded and became executive director for New Directions Counseling Center, a service that grew to include several locations and counselors. In 1996 he became vice president of human resources for the CheckFree Corporation (3,000 employees) till founding DC Consulting in 1999. He continues part-time service with that company, offering executive leadership coaching, organizational effectiveness advice, and help with optimizing business relationships.

His latest pursuit, president of Point University since 2006 (interim president 2006-2009), has seen the college grow in enrollment, curriculum, physical campus, and athletic offerings. He led the school’s 2012 name change and relocation from Atlanta Christian College, East Point, Georgia, to Point University in West Point, Georgia. Meanwhile, he serves as board member or active volunteer with several nonprofits addressing issues ranging from global immunization to local government and education. 

He lives in Lanett, Alabama, with his wife, Penny. He has four children (two married) and five grandchildren. He plays the guitar, likes to cook, and enjoys getting outdoors, often on a nearby golf course. 

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