1

Over the last few days, the region has experienced

unprecedented destruction from the passage of hurricane Irma.
The islands of St Maarten, Anguilla, Tortola, St Thomas and
Barbuda among others, are today trying to come to grips with
the very major infrastructural damage done by Irma. I
encourage all to lift up the region in prayer.
The Road to recovery will be a long and difficult one.
The region is not unfamiliar with the damage caused by
hurricanes. However, unlike previous storms, Irma’s impact has
been widespread, impacting multiple territories in its path—all
in a major way. And even as I speak, it has also reaped havoc
in the Bahamas and still reaping havoc it journeys to the US
mainland. The images on social media and the television,
which, I am sure, most of us have seen, tell a story of great
loss and woe. Except for St. Maarten and other islands, which
was almost totally destroyed, the St. Eustatius/Saba district
have been spared.
Let us demonstrate our thankfulness and appreciation to God
by reaching out to those so severely affected by this
unfortunate disaster.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church, through its development
and relief agency ADRA, will be coordinating a comprehensive
response plan as we look to the rebuilding phase.

God is our refuge and strength

Psalm 46 is a Psalm that celebrates God’s presence and
protection. - Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D.

After identifying God as the Provider of refuge and strength,

the psalmist celebrates His protection in natural disasters

This psalm is a hymn celebrating the power of God, the

mighty defender of his people. The first verse inspired Martin
 2
Luther’s Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott (“A Mighty Fortress Is
Our God”).

Ps. 46 has been designated Luther’s Psalm, because the

great Reformer, who was accustomed to singing it in time of
trouble, paraphrased it in his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress,” No.
506 in The SDA Hymnal.

The psalmist’s statement of the security of God’s people in

trouble describes such a time in terms of worldwide upheavals
and disasters. God is our refuge: see the word refuge as it is
used in 14:6; God is our … strength means “God keeps us
strong,” that is, confident, unafraid. The expression God is our
refuge must often be shifted to a verb phrase; for example, “God
is the one who protects us” or “God is the one who shelters us.”
In verse 1b very present translates a phrase meaning “very
accessible”; the verb means “be present, near.”

46:2 we will not fear

All of the catastrophes listed in verses 2–3 represent the end
of the world, with the disappearance of order and the return of
the chaos which existed before creation.
In verse 2a rsv translates the earth should change; it is better,
following Holladay, to see the meaning “shake, quake” for this
verb, which in other contexts means “to change, exchange.”

Shelter from danger

Storm teaches lessons:

Within them they think their houses are forever, their
dwelling places from generation to generation. They name their
lands by their own names.
 3
“In this time of trial, we need to be encouraged and
comforted by one another. The temptations of Satan are
greater now than ever before, for he knows that his time is
short and that very soon every case will be decided, either for
life or for death.” White, E. G. (1882). Early Writings (p. 46).

The nations are in unrest. Times of perplexity are upon us. The
waves of the sea are roaring; men’s hearts are failing them for
fear and for expectation of those things that are coming upon the
earth; but those who believe on the Son of God will hear His
voice amid the storm, saying, “It is I; be not afraid”.….—
Manuscript 44, 1900.

Revelation 12:10-12 There is great rejoicing in the courts of

heaven over the casting down of Satan and his host.

“Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest

of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the
laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the
elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered to afflict
Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children,
were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a
moment. . . . Satan has control of all whom God does not
especially guard. He will favor and prosper some in order to
further his own designs, and he will bring trouble upon others
and lead men to believe that it is God who is afflicting them.”
GC 589
“Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea
and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and
terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves,
and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms,
Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening
harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a
deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These
 4
visitations are to become more and more frequent and
disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast. "The
earth mourneth and fadeth away," Isaiah 24:4 GC 590

46:7 The Lord of hosts is with us

6–7. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved.
The nations rose up in fury against God’s people, but all to no
avail; for The lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is
our refuge. God has innumerable angels at His command
Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994

The refrain (verse 7) uses two titles of God: The Lord of

hosts is a military title, portraying God as the commander of
the armies - Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. (1991).
Translator’s Hanbook on the book of Psalms.

This psalm encourages us to hope and trust in God, and his

power, and providence, and gracious presence with his church
in the worst of times, and directs us to give him the glory of
what he has done for us and what he will do: probably it was
penned upon occasion of David’s victories over the
neighbouring nations. - Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s
Commentary.

As we move forward, I wish to remind us that the hurricane

season is not over. We are in fact, in the most active period
and it is likely that other systems will develop. We must be
vigilant and prayerful as we face the future. God is still our
refuge and strength. And he is our ever-present help in times of
disaster.

Yk, that’s why the wise man Solomon said in Prov. 18:10,
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth
into it, and they are safe.”
 5
In this psalm the final refrain, “the God of Jacob is our
refuge,” echoes the opening of the psalm “God is our refuge.
Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. (1991). Translator’s
Hanbook on the book of Psalms.

God is our refuge and strength.

The events of the past week may be a setback but they most
certainly were not a defeat. We believe that even when we do
not understand, God will work out his purposes. We live in a
world affected by sin. Our world has been marred and the
natural disasters of today are a sad reminder of this fact.
But we are a people of hope! We believe that very soon, our
God will come and will put an end to the reign of sin. Let us be
faithful until then.