Psalm 46:1 sets the stage for our next few weeks: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  In this short verse we encounter our Real. Present. God.  Today we will focus on the first word, “Real.”  That word has several potential connotations, but we will explore two of them in particular.  First – we understand something to be “real” if it is physical, earthly, tangible and actual.  This life that we live is real – not fiction and not fantasy.  Second – we desire and need “real” relationships – ones that are authentic, candid, honest, frank and vulnerable.  We certainly seek that with each other, but especially with our Real. Present. God.