Saturday, October 10, 2026From the news

Unshaken Refuge in the Midst of Earth's Tremors

As Panama reels from a powerful earthquake and tsunami fears, Psalm 46 assures us that God is our ever-present help, a refuge that stands firm when the earth shakes.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, 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.

Psalm 46:1-3

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28:20b

Dear friend, my heart aches with you this morning as we hear the news from Panama. A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck near the southern coast, just southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, shaking the ground with such force that buildings evacuated, schools emptied, and homes stood empty as families fled to safety. In Penonomé, footage shows the St. John Baptist Cathedral damaged, a heartbreaking sight for those who find solace there, and a highway sheared clean in half, cutting off paths forward. Tremors rippled into Panama City, leaving residents visibly shaken, gathered outside in uncertainty. Then came aftershocks—thirteen reported by early afternoon, including a 6.0-magnitude follow-up—and tsunami warnings stretching along the coasts of Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and even Mexico. President José Raúl Mulino urged calm amid the chaos, but in moments like these, fear feels so natural, doesn't it? The earth itself, the ground we trust beneath our feet, betrayed its steadiness.

We know this pain too well, not just in distant headlines but in our own lives when the foundations we rely on crumble. Perhaps it's a health scare that leaves us unsteady, a job loss that shears our security in two, or grief that roars like surging waters. These events in Panama remind us of our fragility, how quickly the world we build can fracture. Yet, beloved, in the quiet of this devotional, let us turn to the unchanging Word of God, where comfort awaits like a father's embrace.

Listen to the psalmist in Psalm 46: 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, 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.' Imagine those words spoken over Panama today—the epicenter near Tonosí, the tsunami alerts for hazardous waves. The psalm doesn't deny the shaking; it meets it head-on. God is not distant in the disaster; He is the refuge we run to, the strength that holds when mountains tumble. When the highway splits and the cathedral cracks, He remains the solid rock.

And hear the tender promise from Isaiah 41: 'So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.' To the families huddled outside in Panama City, to those watching the coastlines with dread, God speaks personally: I am with you. Not 'I will be if you earn it,' but 'I am,' by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He upholds us, not because we are strong, but because He is.

Jesus Himself echoes this in the Great Commission: 'And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' Even as He ascended, leaving disciples to face persecutions and trials, He promised His presence. In our daily lives, when personal earthquakes strike—maybe a strained relationship that feels sheared apart, or anxiety that triggers waves of worry—take heart. Jesus is with you, not as a distant overseer, but as the risen Lord who conquered death, offering peace amid the storm.

What does this mean for us today? Let us rest in this truth rather than striving against the fear. When news of disasters like Panama's fills our screens, pray for those affected: the people of Pitaloza Arriba, Tonosí, Penonomé; the leaders calling for calm; the coastal communities awaiting waves that may or may not come. But also, look inward. Where is your earth giving way? Bring it to the Lord in simple faith. Scripture bids us not to whip ourselves into frenzy but to remember: He is our refuge. Start your day by whispering Psalm 46 over your coffee, letting Isaiah's hand uphold your weary soul, clinging to Jesus' 'I am with you.'

In practical discipleship, this looks like turning off the news loop to read the Word, reaching out to a neighbor with a kind word amid shared fears, or simply breathing deeply in prayer, trusting God's mercy. The grace of God in Christ Jesus doesn't erase the tremors, but it steadies us through them. As reports from La Prensa and Reuters paint pictures of damage and displacement, we see humanity's vulnerability, yet in Christ, our hope is unshakeable. Let this news draw you closer to Him today, finding in these ancient words fresh consolation for whatever shakes your world.