Call to Prayer: Psalm 46

Welcome Good evening, church. Welcome again to another Tuesday where we gather to spend time with our Lord — in prayer, in worship, and in communion with Him and with one another,

Reading Hebrews 4:14-16

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

So friends, let’s remember tonight our High Priest as we draw near the throne of grace, by his mercy, as we worship. Please stand if you are able and join in singing our hymn: (MP 188) God is our Strength and Refuge.”

Introduction This past Sunday morning we heard Bill Bigros preach from Psalm 46. Tonight, I’d like to return to that psalm and let it shape our prayers.

Bill reminded us that God is our Protection when life shakes, He is our Provision when we are empty, and He is our Presence even in our failures. Tonight, I want us to allow those truths to guide how we pray together.

So let’s open our Bibles to Psalm 46, and hear again these words of promise.

Read Psalm 46 (ESV) [Read through the psalm slowly, with pauses at the “Selahs.”]

Psalm 46 ESV

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 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 her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations 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 chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Reflection 1 — God Our Protection For some of you, the imagery of chaos in this psalm isn’t abstract. It feels personal. Your life is shaking. The ground beneath you — your foundations, your frameworks, the things you thought were secure — are crumbling.

The psalm says, “though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea.” Even the strongest and most stable things in our lives can collapse into chaos.

And yet, in the middle of that collapse, this promise rings out: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

He is the One we hold to. He is our compass, our stronghold, our protection.

So tonight, let’s pray for those in our church and community who are facing chaos caused by sin and brokenness — whether it be sickness, grief, or pain. Let’s also pray for the chaos in our world — the wars, the rumors of wars, the injustice, the disasters. so that people may truly find there refuge and protection in Christ

yet christ is not only our protection, he is our provision as well!! The psalm goes on to say, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.”

as Bill reminded us about the Assyrian siege, when Jerusalem’s people should have starved, God Himself provided water through Hezekiah’s tunnel. When resources were gone, He gave life.

And how often, in moments of weakness and uncertainty, do we turn instead to self-soothing? We say, “Yes, Jesus, I believe in You. You are all I need in theory. But in practice I’ll turn to a movie, or food, or a drink, or an experience to carry me through. Because I’m not sure You’ll be enough for me right now.”

But the God we come to tonight is the God of Jacob — the God who loved and carried a weak, self-centered, man like Jacob teaching him how to trust the lords proviosion.

this same God He is our Provider too.

So tonight let’s pray that He would be our provision — the living water that makes us glad. Let’s intercede for one another, that we would taste again the goodness of our Father.

Jesus is our refuge, he is our protection, but most of all he is present with us

Reflection 3 — God Our Presence Finally, the psalm says, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

This isn’t passive. It’s an invitation to stop our frantic striving and trust Him. He is exalted over the nations — yet He is also the God of Jacob, the God of the weak and failing, the God who sympathizes with our weaknesses.

Christ Himself walked in our shoes. He entered the chaos of the human condition so that we might know His righteousness.

he is our priest, interceding on our behalf, to the father,

Tonight, the invitation in our prayers is to surrender. To trust. To worship Him again — that the Triune God would be exalted in our lives, in our church, and in our world.

Closing God is with us. He is our refuge. He is our river. He is Emmanuel.

He is here,So as we go into prayer, let’s not come with fear or with striving — but with confidence, because he is our refuge, our provision, and he is here

prayer points

1. Thanksgiving / Praise

Thank God that He is our Protection — our refuge and strength in times of chaos and uncertainty.

Thank God that He is our Provision — the living water that satisfies, refreshes, and sustains us.

Thank God that He is Present — Emmanuel, with us in every circumstance, even in our failures and weaknesses.

Thank God that Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses — He took on human flesh, experienced suffering, pain, and agony so we could know His righteousness.

Thank God for new life in Christ — that we are united with Him and empowered to live in His grace.

2. Intercession – Personal / Local Needs

lord teach us Pray for others in our church and local community experiencing sickness, grief, pain, or hardship.

3. Intercession – Global / World Needs

help us Pray for peace and justice in war-torn regions:

Russia & Ukraine

Israel & Hamas

Mali, Niger, Myanmar

help us Pray for people affected by injustice, slavery, sex trafficking, child exploitation, and broken systems of power.

help us Pray for God’s intervention, justice, and remedy in these situations.

help us Pray for the spread of the Gospel — that His light would reach the broken, needy, and lost.

4. Provision – Living Water / Evangelism

Pray that God would help us depend on Christ as our true provision rather than running to empty, broken cisterns (things that leave us dry).

Pray that we experience the fullness of Christ’s living water in our own lives.

Pray that we would intercede for those who don’t know Christ, bringing the message of salvation as the Samaritan woman did.

Pray that we bear witness to Christ as those who have already been refreshed and filled.

closing prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You that in our weakness we are not alone. We thank You that Jesus, Your Son, knows our frailty, that He prayed in the garden under sorrow and trial, and that He now intercedes for us at Your right hand.

Give us grace to stay awake in faith, to be watchful in prayer, and to walk in the strength that comes not from ourselves, but from Your Spirit.

As we leave this place, may the peace of Christ guard our hearts, the love of the Father guide our steps, and the presence of the Spirit sustain us in all we do.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.