Friday, June 5, 2009, 0445 ICT
Siem Reap, Cambodia

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." – Psalm 46

What a blessing this Psalm is to me this morning, as it has been to countless others throughout the centuries. How great is our God, that he inspired a mortal man centuries ago to pen such timeless and perfect words regarding the splendors of the unchangeable eternal God and then preserved them through the ages to deliver me time and again from discouragement and dispair. These same words thrilled the souls of the prophets, the apostles, the reformers (see Luther’s treatment of this Psalm in his great hymn), and the saints of the Baptist church throughout the ages.

It is indeed a blessing to be reminded that my hope and trust is not in man, but in God himself. The God who created me yet sustains me, He is my help and my strength. It is He of whom the Apostle Paul says, "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." There is assurance to be found in the fact that He has delivered in days past, knowing that He will yet deliver. This comfort is not mere idle hope, but possitive assurance wrapped up in knowledge of God’s purpose and grace.

We will not be afraid, though the earth be removed and the mountains be shaken to their core. It is Jesus who said but a little bit of faith will enable us to exert similar power through God’s enabling hand. There is a river which flows from the very presence of God. It makes glad the hearts of His people, and the church of God is sustained and strengthened by its streams. Again, the Saviour promised "a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Where is the strength of the Holy City? God is in the midst of her. Even in this dark land of idolatry and pagan rites, God is here among his people. Though the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things, yet God is in His Holy temple.

As the tumult abounds and uncertainty seems the only certain thing, what a blessing to rest in the promise, "the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." He is not only the God of Israel, but the God of Jacob. Jacob who wandered in the wilderness fleeing the anger of his kindred, not seeking after God, but only seeking his own timely deliverance. Jacob who was a deceiver, a supplanter, one who did not seek that which was pleasing to God. He is the God of Jacob who changes hearts and lives for His own purposes. Of whom it is said, "He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye." To be led about and instructed of the Lord is not an easy thing, but to be kept as the apple of His eye, secured by his own strength in His mighty hand is a blessing beyond measure. This is security to be kept by the mighty hand of God, to have Him engaged in our defense, to hear him say, "for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye."

"Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth." To God is attributed the desolation of portions of the earth. It is His power that makes wars and fightings to cease. He is the only one who can author true peace. Seeing the desolation of a land ravaged by genocide, by war, and by intellectual folly and pagan superstition only serves to heighten the reality of these verses in my consideration. In the midst of this desolation, these conflicts and seeming hopelessness, the Lord speaks through His word, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." What strange words these must have been to the Psalmist. What strange words to be sung by the Israelites. Not, exalted before, but among the heathen. God’s purpose even then was manifestly to be gloried in all the earth among every nation, kindred, tongue, people and nation. Our hope and assurance is found in a God of power and of purpose who is working even today according to His eternal purpose. He will be exalted among the heathen, and in all the earth.

It is this purpose that Paul exalted when he wrote to the Ephesians, "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord"

The eternal purpose of God to make known His wisdom and glory in all the earth is that which has guided the proclamation of the gospel through the centuries and has established and sustained his church whose very existence is for his glory. It is with the assurance of His purpose and never failing strength that we can proclaim with the Psalmist, "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." Meditate on these things.

As I lay awake this early morning reflecting upon the events of the past week and indeed the past two years in my life and that of my family, these verses came as the answer to bring peace to my troubled soul. Things are difficult for us here as a pampered 21st century American family. We are used to and indeed expect the "comforts of home" and in many ways depend upon our modern "conveniences" to even survive. Yet our Lord has led us through an amazing path to this day and this place where we are called upon to make what in reality are very small sacrifices, yet which in the moment seem great indeed, for His purpose and for His glory. It is so easy to lose focus, to get caught up in the moment and to forget the reason that we are here. I don’t mean here in Cambodia, but in existence. We are here to bring honor and glory to God: the One who created us, gives us breath, salvation, and all things.

My purpose in this place ought to be focused.

• I am here for the near or long term to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to a waiting people prepared afore by His Holy Spirit.
• I am here to teach to faithful men those things which have been committed to me by those who God placed in my life as my mentors and fathers in the ministry and those things which I have learned from the very word of God as I have been led by the Holy Spirit.
• I am here to confirm the faith of those who have been established in the present truth, and to preach liberty to those who are captive to the darkness of this world, turning them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God.
• I am here to "do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."
• I am here to provide a godly example of obedience to the faith before my wife and children while leading them in accordance to God’s word and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
• We are here to "make known His deeds among the people" by the testimony and witness of lives changed by His mighty hand.

Thanks be to God for His blessings and mercy in saving me from so great a death that I might live for His glory.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for us as we learn together lessons of contentment and of trust.

A fortress firm, and steadfast rock,
Is God in time of danger;
A shield and sword in every shock,
From foe well known or stranger.

– C. H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, unattributed

A sure stronghold our God is He,
A timely shield and weapon;
Our help he will be, and set us free
From every ill can happen.

And were the world with devils filed,
All eager to devour us,
Our souls to fear shal little yield,
They cannot overpower us.

– Martin Luther
translation from S. W. Christopher’s, Hymn Writers and Their Hymns, 1866
(quoted in Spurgeon’s Treasury of David)