The Black Hills

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:1-10 ESV). The Indians call them Paha Sapa; we call them the Black Hills. If you ever visited Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills, you probably drove by or through Keystone. But the Keystone you drive through now isn't where Keystone used to be, not since the devastating flood of 1972. Back then Keystone was in this valley by a lazy little creek, which suddenly became a raging flood, roaring through the valley, destroying the town, and claiming many lives. Well, it was then that the folks of Keystone decided to make a change. When they rebuilt their business district and many of their homes, it wasn't on the ground they had always been on. They moved up the mountain to higher ground. Life's floods come in many forms; major crises or disasters that carry away much of what we had been depending on. An illness maybe or a death can do that, a divorce, a disaster, a broken relationship, the loss of your job. Upheavals that rush in and change the landscape forever. And make you think about where is the best place to build the rest of your life. Today’s reading declares that "God is our refuge and strength; an ever present help in trouble.” You may be experiencing one of Life's major upheavals, everything you used to count on seems to have washed away. But remember, "God is our refuge and strength," so we don't have to fear those things. The truth is that when you've lost everything, you haven't lost EVERYTHING! Not if you have a deep, personal love relationship with the God whom never leaves, never lets go. The Psalm continues, "The Lord Almighty is with us, come and see the works of the Lord." That simple statement may explain the reason the flood was allowed to happen; so you would finally, "Be still and know that I am God." Maybe, you've been "God" in your life, controlling things, living life your way. And you've been building your life around someone or something here on earth. Something or someone that the flood may wash away. God's message to you through all of this stress and pain, "It's time to move to higher ground." Having seen how loseable all our earth-stuff is, maybe you're ready to build on something you can never lose, no matter what hits you. You were created to build your life on the One who gave you your life, God Himself. The flood has sent its message. The ground you've been on is not where you're meant to live. It's time to move to higher ground you were made for. And, Jesus IS the higher ground where you will be safe, forever.