He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The imperative command, “Be still!”, is very interesting. It is translated in Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible as “Desist!” Another good way to translate this is “Cease striving!”
How often we strive! As we go about our daily lives, we take our eyes off of God and try to do things our own way. God offers us this wonderful place of refuge in Himself, yet we keep trying to change our circumstances ourselves. We do not avail ourselves of our fortress, our hiding place, our place of rest. Instead, we worry, we scheme, we fret; we forget that it is God who is sovereign. When we cease striving, and (experientially) know that the LORD is God, we are able to properly put everything back into perspective.
We then can relax a bit, knowing that the Lord is taking care of our circumstances. When we step back and do this, we are also better able to properly worship our loving Father. We get to see with greater clarity the ways in which He works. We see our prayers being answered, and know for sure that it was God – because we stopped trying to do it ourselves. It isn’t until we cease striving that God is able to fully manifest Himself in our circumstances and bring the greatest glory to Himself. Then will we be able to say that God is our refuge.
What issue has you frazzled today? What deep and abiding pain just won’t go away? Take God’s advice: Cease striving, and know that He is God. Let him enter into your circumstances in a greater capacity, and allow Him to reveal Himself to you in a deeper, more intimate way.
A short prayer of preparation:
Father in Heaven, I come before you today to praise You and worship You as Almighty God. Too often in this life do I try to do things when You earnestly seek to show me new facets of Yourself – if I would only stop and let You. Guide me, comfort me, and show me how to step back from these issues so that You would be glorified. Help me to find rest in You as You work these things out. This I ask in the name of Your Most Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Want more? Why not try A. B. Simpson or A. W. Tozer?
CHRIST ALLIANCE CHURCH 