Be still. . . .

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah “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. Selah (Psalm 46:1–3, 10–11)

As I read this, the upstairs television features a podcast with a few people discussing world events with strong opinions of what is happening and how to fix it. They are anxious and worried. 

Downstairs my Bible features a song of faith that initially fixes the fear then gives solutions such as: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.” (Vs. 4–5)
He can do this because He is “the Lord of hosts” and “with us” and “our fortress.” “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.” (Vs. 9)

On a Sunday morning, the sun is shining, trees leaf out, birds sing. They know nothing of the wars and struggles or the major problems that plague the human mind. The cosmos, even the sparrows and trees thrive in the care of their Maker. They know how to be still in the knowledge of God. And we humans are supposed to be made in His image and rated as the highest in His creation?

What fools we are to create strife and problems because of our own selfishness and then argue and even scream at each other trying to fix it, still with our own selfish ideas and goals. Instead of being still and trusting God.

Lord Jesus, we need a revival of renewed faith, of awareness and conviction of such sinfulness, of repentance that is deeply serious and able to be still and know You, the One who can make all things right and at peace. Visit us and be exalted in this twisted up place called earth.

 

Trusting Him and ignoring my feelings…

Note to readers: Every now and then my posts have typos or worse — like convoluted sentences that make no sense. They usually happen when I make a late evening post and am half asleep. My hubby notices them the next morning but too late for those who read them early in the day. So sorry! If that happens, please go back and read again as they do get corrected and I want to be clear rather than confusing!

I wish that I had read today’s devotional at least a day ago — I might not have been so anxious about the meeting yesterday! The devotional writer reminded her readers that God’s people learn that God is enough. Funny how your head can tell you that but fears and other emotions and experiences scream otherwise. The Bible says, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7) I should not let fear happen, but it did.

A good example for me is Job. He was in great trials and overwhelmed by lack of understanding. Why was God allowing all this loss and sorrow? Why did He not give comfort and assurance up front? Like Job, I was trusting God, yet not feeling the delight that goes with that trust. Job complained a great deal, however he did say this remarkable truth:

Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. (Job 13:15)

Other versions say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” That was my thinking. This meeting could be a total disaster. I had a key role in it but feared no one would listen to me. But I was trusting God anyway, no matter what happened. The hard part was no joy in that trust — at least not until the day was over and He surprised me with the others who gave support for my thoughts and showed rejection of ideas contrary to sound practices. I did not expect such unity.

The devotional writer also points to David who said:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:4–6)

Did David write this before, during, or after his trials and the experience of God’s comfort? I don’t know Hebrew so cannot determine the verb tenses. However, in English this reads that David’s trust was based on both faith and experience. He knew he could trust God in the present and the future because of God’s past faithfulness. I should be more like David. He also said:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah (Psalm 46:1–3)

The NT says such faith comes by hearing — hearing the Word of God. I need to also be in the Scriptures more than I am, reading Psalms more often would be helpful.

Yet meditation is vital too. I’d recently read this NT passage and failed to apply it to my fears about yesterday’s meeting:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31–39)

PRAY: Lord God, my spiritual maturity has a long way to go to match my physical age. Yet age is not the issue. I need to think all the time that You are enough. No matter the trials and challenges, You do not fail. I can trust You to take care of all issues, no matter how huge or impossible they might seem to me. You will honor Your Word take care of me, just as You have promised.

Trying harder does not work

In our human independence, the tendency to think “if I try harder . . . I can overcome” makes little of the power of God to simply purge sin from our lives when we confess it.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

I’ve said it many times; this is probably the most important verse in the Bible for Christians battling with sin. It puts the onus on us only to confess. The rest of the victory belongs to God. He forgives the sin, meaning He sends it away, puts it off the ledger, does not hold it against us and applies to our lives all other descriptions of forgiveness. He does this because He is faithful and because Jesus already died for that sin. It has been paid for, atoned for. Confess and it is forgiven.

But there is more. He also cleanses us from all unrighteousness. The word means just what it says. He is faithful to make clean, purge, purify my life. This is huge. I don’t try harder to stop sinning. When I confess it to God, He somehow cleans me up.

Yesterday I confessed the food-craving thing to God as a selfish desire for pleasure when I should desire Him. I’ve confessed concerning this before, but more the action of self-indulgence rather than the motivation behind it. For the first evening in a long while, I had no battle at all because my desire to eat when full did not happen.

This may not be the end of this war. Jesus did say that in this world I will have trouble. If Satan and the sin around me are not battle enough, I will also struggle against my old sinful nature. However, even one day free from that fight is a reason to celebrate.

When I read Spurgeon’s selections for today, the morning devotional was based on this verse, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How timely. Then the evening reading followed with this passage:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah (Psalm 46:1–3)

My heart said amen and immediately I wanted to personalize it with a rewrite.

God is my hiding place and strength, always with me even when I am in trouble and being tempted. Therefore, I will not fear though the pantry beckons, though mountains of temptations are moved across my line of sight, though my cravings roar with “rise and eat” and though I’m distracted by the pleasures they offer.

The next two verses say, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns” (Psalm 46:4–5). My rewrite says,

There is a source whose pleasure makes glad the child of God. I am the holy habitation of the Most High. God lives in the heart of me; I shall not be moved; God will help me when morning dawns and whenever this or any other temptation comes.

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Oh Lord God, as 1 John says, You forgive and cleanse because You are faithful. I trip and fall all the time, but You are always with me. You forgive me, pick me up and move me to start again. May I never underestimate the power that comes from You and Your grace — I just need to stop trying harder and simply confess my sin.