"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 25 October 2016 with Scripture with Scripture Psalm 46

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 25 October 2016 with Scripture with Scripture Psalm 46 
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Psalm 46:1 (0) For the leader. By the descendants of Korach. On ‘alamot [high-pitched musical instruments?]. A song:
2 (1) God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
3 (2) Therefore we are unafraid,
even if the earth gives way,
even if the mountains tumble
into the depths of the sea,
4 (3) even if its waters rage and foam,
and mountains shake at its turbulence. (Selah)
5 (4) There is a river whose streams
gladden the city of God,
the holy habitation of ‘Elyon —
6 (5) God is in the city.
It will not be moved —
when daybreak comes, God will help it.
7 (6) Nations were in turmoil,
kingdoms were moved;
his voice thundered forth,
and the earth melted away.
8 (7) Adonai-Tzva’ot is with us,
our fortress, the God of Ya‘akov. (Selah)
9 (8) Come and see the works of Adonai,
the astounding deeds he has done on the earth.
10 (9) To the ends of the earth he makes wars cease —
he breaks the bow, snaps the spear,
burns the shields in the fire.
11 (10) “Desist, and learn that I am God,
supreme over the nations,
supreme over the earth.”
12 (11) Adonai-Tzva’ot is with us,
our fortress, the God of Ya‘akov. (Selah)
[Complete Jewish Bible]
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God is our refuge and strength... We will not fear, though the earth should change." Many of us, as children, took this psalm in like mother's milk, because of the great hymn of the sixteenth-century reformation, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," which paraphrases it. How the world has changed since that reformation! But in one respect it has not changed. For most of the past 499 years, the church in the West has remained divided. But we live in extraordinary times and have reason not only to be hopeful, but to be optimistic, for many of the walls that have divided so much of Christ's church are at last crumbling.
As the walls we have erected--for such good reasons yet at so high a price--do fall, as the earth does change, as we rediscover our oneness in Christ, we shall learn anew that "The LORD of hosts is with us"--and that when our lord and savior said, "Repent," he willed that all our lives should be a daily returning to this faithful God. 
Hasten the day, gracious God, when all your varied and diverse people rejoice to share one baptism, one meal, one faith, one hope, one Lord Jesus Christ. In his name. Amen.
Bradley Edin, '84
Pastor, Kathryn-Nome-Fingal Lutheran Parish, Fingal, N.D.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Selah)
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah)
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Selah)[New Revised Standard Version]

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