God Our RefugeSample

When mountains tremble

At 9:49 am on Saturday, August 16, 2025, Brisbane was shaken by a magnitude 5.6 earthquake. Seismologists have stated it was the largest quake in half a century. We may find ourselves on unsteady ground, knowing that even the earth beneath our feet can, on occasions, shake. Likewise, life’s circumstances can seem far from predictable; the future unknowable. However, God is solid, strong, reliable, and unchanging. Corrie ten Boom said, ‘Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to our known, [and knowable] God.’ He is our strength and our refuge even when we are gripped by uncertainty. We can cry out, ‘God, I don’t know what’s going to happen!’ Rest assured that He does. God’s presence is the absolute reliability that we grab hold of when our world shakes. At times we may struggle to find peace. With each shaky step we may fear disaster, yet God is there. God doesn’t just give us strength – He is our strength. God is there and that’s our absolute assurance.

The prophet Isaiah tells us that ‘the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail’ (Isaiah 58:11 ESV). Thank you, Lord God, that You are our strength, our refuge, our ever-present help in time of need. Amen.

Written by CHRIS PARFOOT