January 3rd - Psalm 93:4

Psalm 93:4 Mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore – the Lord above is mightier than these! I was brought up by the sea and have always enjoyed the sight of waves breaking on the shore. I love the rhythm and the drama as they crash onto the beach. There is a timelessness about waves, and it is easy to understand why the psalmists often refer to them. But, however powerful and violent the sea might be, the psalmists insist that God is even more powerful. He is incomparably great. Whatever threat you are facing, God is more than able to cope. I wonder what challenges you are facing at the moment. They may be connected with your family, work, church, neighbours, community or something completely different. Life in our broken world inevitably produces a stream of challenges for all of us, and when we think beyond our immediate lives, we can see incredible problems engulfing our world. There are fires, floods and famine arising from climate change; huge numbers of people fleeing their home countries because of oppressive regimes; and Christians suffering persecution simply because of their faith. As we face these gigantic challenges, it is very easy for us to feel overwhelmed. So, with the psalmist, we need to fix our eyes on the incomparable greatness of God. God doesn’t always fix our problems immediately – the psalmists often complained about God’s apparently slow response – but we can be confident that he is incomparably powerful and, as we place our lives in his hands, we can be sure that he will be present with us in our times of difficulty. We all need to keep watching the waves, enjoying the drama of their power and thanking God that he is incomparably greater. Question What challenges are you facing at the moment? In what way does God’s strength give you confidence as you confront them? Prayer Lord God, help me to live today with a continual awareness of your mighty power. Amen