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Intention

To rest in God’s peace during chaotic times.

Scripture

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.”

– Psalm 46:4

Reflection

I wrote Psalm 46:4 on the side of the pen I used in all my exams at Bible College.

Psalm 46 has many famous lines. These include “God is our strength and refuge” and “Be still and know that I am God”. But to me, the above little verse (Psalm 46:4) is the most memorable.

Verses 2 and 3 paint a picture of the entire world in complete upheaval:

“… though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.”

This is utter devastation, utter chaos. The waters are raging so hard that the great, proud mountains are collapsing into the oceans. Cliffs are falling into the sea.

In biblical language, the sea is a place of chaos and danger. On the land, you at least have somewhere to stand or take shelter. In the sea, you are completely out of control. That’s why Jesus calming the storm was so significant, and why the sea is no more in Revelation 21:1.

Psalm 46 opens with chaos overwhelming and destroying stability. But, in a sudden shift, verse 4 takes us somewhere else. Instead of the chaos of raging seas, we see a river – calm, controlled water bringing life to the city of God, where God Himself dwells.

Old Testament readers will instantly think back to the waters of life flowing from Eden, where God originally walked with humanity.

New Testament readers will also look forward to Revelation 22, and the river of life passing through the new Eden, lined with trees of life.

The river is God’s life-giving blessing flowing into His city, providing calm amid chaos. He promises that His city will never fall (Psalm 46:5).

As the psalm continues, the nations rise in an uproar, and God defeats all his adversaries: wars cease, the battle bow is broken, and the earth melts. In this context, “be still and know that I am God” is not a gentle invitation to quiet reflection. It is an order, commanding the chaos of this world: “Be still! I am God!” (Psalm 46:10). Jesus echoed that same command when He calmed the storm.

Through the psalm, we hear the repeated phrase, “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress”. The Hebrew behind “Lord Almighty” is “Lord of Armies”. This is a military psalm showing God as the great warrior who protects His people.

But when I read this psalm, I am always drawn back to that river.

God is the warrior protecting us in our fortress. But at the heart of the fortress is a river of peace and blessing. He does not defeat His enemies simply for the glory of battle or the joy of victory. He does it to bring peace to his people.

Amid chaos (or even just a Hebrew exam), this river reminds us of what God protects us for.

What does that mean for this election?

It’s hard to think of a more chaotic time in the past few decades. We’re not facing world wars or nuclear armageddon, but everywhere you look, it seems like the earth is crashing into the sea. Overseas, we see nations at war and governments in chaos, and at home, Australia is in crisis politically, culturally, and morally.

God never promised that our world would be calm. We may get a good government and a stable world. But we may be headed into a phase of chaotic disaster.

Regardless of what we get, God did promise that at the heart of His city, there is a river of peace and blessing.

Interestingly, the election date has been defined by two events. The first was Cyclone Alfred, which prevented the PM from calling the election for his preferred date of April 12. He then had to wait an entire month, because the next few weeks were dedicated to Easter.

Perhaps those two events can point us back to Psalm 46 and God’s promises. The cyclone reminds us of the storm of chaos, while the cross reminds us of Jesus, our protector, saviour and peace.

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Prayer

Lord, we live in chaotic times, and as humans, we feel completely out of control. But You are our rock, our fortress and our protector. Thank You that You have defeated our greatest enemies – sin and death – and that You will continue to rule over our world until Your return.

Help us to rest in the peace You offer. Help us to trust that You have the chaos in this world under Your control. Help us to focus on loving and serving You, and the people around us, in the name of Christ.

Author Bio

Mike Southon is the Executive Director of Freedom for Faith. A graduate of Moore Theological College, he has 20 years of ministry experience in churches and parachurch organisations.

Freedom for Faith is a Christian legal think tank that resources many denominations and churches in advocating for religious freedom. This includes legal analysis and advocacy at the governmental level and helping churches be more politically effective at the grassroots level.

Prayer Points and Purpose for Turn the Tide 2025

1. A righteous government that upholds truth and Christian values. 1 Timothy 2:1–4

2. Wisdom for voters to perceive the true agenda of political parties. Proverbs 14:15

3. A church that disciples the nation in this window of grace. Matthew 28:18–20

We invite you to support this prayer campaign to multiply prayer in Australia for the 2025 federal election. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for family, faith, freedom, life, and the good news of God’s love through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Tonight (Thursday, 1 May) the Canberra Declaration is joining with the ACL, along with other organisations, to host a combined nationwide online prayer call. As a result, we are suspending our usual Canberra Declaration nightly Zoom meeting.

View Turn the Tide: 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting Devotionals

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