Stillness
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!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46:9-11 ESV
During the storms and the twist and turns in life, it is challenging to know the truth. Perhaps one of the mightiest weapons of the enemy is busy-ness. Busy-ness makes us think we do not have time for stillness before the Lord. It forces us to look for microwave solutions to our slow cook problems. The quick solutions are never adequate. They satiate us just long us to get to the next short-term solution.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ forces us to stop. The solution to life was not made up on the spot. It was planned from the foundation of the world. When the women went to the tomb that morning, they were not expecting much. They thought they would mourn a little while they prepared their friend and rabbi’s dead body. The silence of the walk must have been deafening.
They saw something they did not expect. They saw scared guards, a removed stone, and an empty tomb. Then they encountered an angel giving them the news that would change history. Death has been defeated; death is no more.
Do they dare to believe? On their way away from that profound moment, they see him…HIM. Is that what they were expected? No. God meets us in the silent and unexpected moments. Often his presence is known to us not in our activity, but in our stillness.
Are you able to be still before the Lord? Why? Do you fear being still before Him? Plan some time every week to be silent before the creator of life and victor over death.
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!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46:9-11 ESV
During the storms and the twist and turns in life, it is challenging to know the truth. Perhaps one of the mightiest weapons of the enemy is busy-ness. Busy-ness makes us think we do not have time for stillness before the Lord. It forces us to look for microwave solutions to our slow cook problems. The quick solutions are never adequate. They satiate us just long us to get to the next short-term solution.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ forces us to stop. The solution to life was not made up on the spot. It was planned from the foundation of the world. When the women went to the tomb that morning, they were not expecting much. They thought they would mourn a little while they prepared their friend and rabbi’s dead body. The silence of the walk must have been deafening.
They saw something they did not expect. They saw scared guards, a removed stone, and an empty tomb. Then they encountered an angel giving them the news that would change history. Death has been defeated; death is no more.
Do they dare to believe? On their way away from that profound moment, they see him…HIM. Is that what they were expected? No. God meets us in the silent and unexpected moments. Often his presence is known to us not in our activity, but in our stillness.
Are you able to be still before the Lord? Why? Do you fear being still before Him? Plan some time every week to be silent before the creator of life and victor over death.
Recent
Archive
2024
March
How Will We Know When Jesus is Coming Back? Blessing When the World is EndingDaily Devotional ThoughtsOn GuardWalking with JesusIdolatry?WatchA Ritual to Read to Each OtherEyes to SeeSleepers AwakeHoly Week ServicesAwake and AwareTrue or False?How Will You Respond?Those Winter SundaysAnointingSweetly BrokenEverythingThe WomenPrudenceMark 14:12-31Blessing the BodyPassoverPalm SundayHoly TuesdayHoly Monday - JudgementHoly WednesdayMaundy ThursdayGood FridayHoly SaturdayEaster Sunday
April
StillnessDo Not Be AfraidStill Walking AroundAsleepGethsemaneAgony in the GardenStay With MeBetrayedMountains and ValleysDead AsleepAbandonedSonnet for PeterIn the SilencePeter Denies JesusThe PoserAfter the SilenceWesleyHanded OverBarabbasThe CrowdsMan of SorrowsJesus is DeliveredPilate ListenedMocking JesusCrucifiedThe Dream of the RoodPsalm 22ForsakenSeeingServanthood
May
Cruciform LoveGo and Make DisciplesUphillMark 28: 16-20NobodyHead and HeartWith UsEmpty CaloriesAnd Awe Came Upon ThemWonderful HarmonyThe New ChurchWe Are One in the SpiritLord, We PrayTogetherReading the GospelsBe Strong and CourageousBenjamin West, 1800Online ResourcesKeep My WordTell the StoryBraveIntroducing IsaiahIsaiah OverviewWhen and WhereWeekly ExamenIsaiah 1Who is God? Who are we?JudgementCurrent EventsThe Proud Will be HumbledWho is Exalted?
No Comments