God Is With Us

Rev Goh Yong Kuang

“The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress”.

PSALMS 46:7 NIV

Psalm 46 was written to encourage the people of Israel who were threatened with destructions brought about by war (vss.8-9) and natural disaster (vss.2-3). There was no escape - defeat and death seemed inevitable. But in the midst of their ordeal, the people turned to God for help.

In response, God assured them that He would be with them. He would be their mighty fortress. The title “God of Jacob” identifies God as Israel's God (Gen. 32:28) who keeps the promises He made to Jacob and to his descendants (Gen. 35:10–12). Today, the “God of Jacob” is also your God and my God. He is our mighty fortress…a “bulwark never failing!” (Martin Luther). 

Ever since the fall, trouble has always been part of the human existence. Because we are born into a fallen and sinful world and are part of a system that is decaying, hardship and trouble will always be part of our human experience. Therefore, we are affected by the trials of this life, as much as those who do not know Jesus Christ. While God never promised us a trouble-free life, He did promise to be with us.  

How is God with us? When Jesus came to the earth, He was the “Emmanuel” - God with us in the flesh! When He left earth and returned to God the Father, He promised to still be with us in and through the Spirit (Jn. 14:15-17).

Knowing that God is almighty, how do we respond to the troubles and difficulties of this life? God tells us to “be still!” (Ps.46:10) Being still in times of trouble is a sign of faith and trust in God. If we have faith, we will not have time to be terrified or troubled. If we know how much God loves us, and how great and powerful He is, then no storm in life can bother us.

Let us continue to trust and put our faith in God. Let us draw near to Him in prayer and spend time in His Word – so that our faith be built up