Psalm 46: He makes wars cease to the end of the earth

From Psalms

Psalm 46
(For the Director of Music.  Of the sons of Korah.  According to alamoth.  A song.)


¹God is our refuge and strength,
      a very present help in trouble.
²Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
      and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
³Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
      though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.        Selah

⁴There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,
      the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
⁵God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
      God shall help her, and that right early.
⁶The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved:
      he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

⁷The LORD of hosts is with us;
      the God of Jacob is our refuge.                                           Selah

⁸Come, behold the works of the LORD,
      what desolations he hath made in the earth.
⁹He 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.
¹⁰Be still, and know that I am God:
      I will be exalted among the heathen,
      I will be exalted in the earth.

¹¹The LORD of hosts is with us;
      the God of Jacob is our refuge.                                            Selah

Today I wanted to capture the first part of verse 9 because to me the ability to make wars cease is pretty powerful.  In order for wars to cease people need to change.  People need to be awakened to something that is flawed in their beliefs.  Often these beliefs have been formed over a long period of time and are deep rooted.  This makes letting go of them a very difficult thing to do.  Not only that but at a certain point in time it requires admitting a wrong or specific mistake and admitting the flawed belief.  Then to take it one step further both sides usually need to make that step to find some middle ground.

As I walk through all of this it becomes apparent that this work that God does to end wars is present in other areas of our lives not quite so dramatic as wars.  This change and shift in thinking is part of recovery from addiction.  It is part of families restoring broken relationships.  It's the same as normal course of relations with neighbors and co-workers.

Today I will be praying to God to help me see areas where I have been wrong and where I need to patch things up and seek forgiveness of my mistakes.  On the flip side, I will also be praying for areas where I have been wronged and for the strength to be open about that and to ask for what I need to make things better.  I will also pray the same for your life.

Thanks for letting me share.