Be Still

"Be still,

and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 46:10

I've heard it said to cook the best hamburger, it's important to let the meat be; just let it cook for several minutes before grabbing the spatula and flipping it to the other side.  My inclination is to smash it down, move it around a bit; just do something to make me feel useful in this cooking process.  In reality, I'm not helping at all but simply causing the piece of meat to lose a lot of juices which will result in a dry burger.  

Frying a hamburger is a lot like living in this world as a follower of Christ.  It seems like I must be constantly doing something in order to be useful in this journey.  I try to give a hand in fighting my own battles, going after what I need, saving myself, joining service projects, generally just attempting to be helpful.  I'm trying to be a good Christian, I think.  But God wants His people to operate under a different battle plan.

Know.  Knowing who my God is involves more than just brain power.  It requires trust which concerns my heart.  Take the Israelites, for instance.  After God had delivered them from the cruel hand of the Egyptian king where they served as slaves, they stood between the impenetrable Red Sea and the mighty army of Pharaoh.  They were stuck.  What could they do?

Nothing.  God told them to do nothing but watch and "see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today." (Exodus 14:13)  Their part was to hold their peace and remain at rest, God's part was to fight for them.

Part of knowing who God is, is to prove that I believe what I know.  Just like the Israelites had the choice to trust God to do the impossible which He had told them He would do, or they could not believe what He said, panic and pick up whatever weapons they could find and fight the soldiers themselves.  The first showed faith in their knowledge of God, the other fear and doubt.  Which will I choose today?

In order to live as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I must know Who my God is, and trust Him.

Nations.  Governments operate apart from His law.  People live as if He didn't exist.  Leaders bow to the god of tolerance and religious inclusion.  Life is not valued, marriage  grows extinct, gender identity fluid.  How are we to live?  Where are the boundaries for civilized society?

God doesn't need my help to exalt Himself.  He will be honored before the seats of every government, and man shall be humbled, their pride taken down a notch or two until it dwells in the basement (Isaiah 2:17).  God will be lifted up as Maker, as Ruler, as Sovereign over all.  

So how do I live in a world that is yet to be reduced to their rightful place as God shows His?  Live in a way that brings glory to Him now, not waiting until He exalts Himself, but willingly giving Him the honor and praise due Him.

In order to live as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I must operate with the expectation that God will be exalted among the nations, even if they don't acknowledge it now.  He is Lord.

Earth.  The birds sing His praises.  The eagles soar to proclaim His power.  The flowers bloom each spring to illustrate the hope I have in Christ.  The mountains stand in majesty as a symbol of His magnificence.  All of creation points to it's Creator.

If I truly believe this, I will look for lessons of His kingdom all around me.  Instead of just watching a mother bird feed her babies, I can ponder the nurturing nature of a God who lovingly meets all my needs and grows me into the woman He created me to be.  

While I could simply enjoy watching the rhythm of the waves washing in to shore, I could let it remind me of the constancy of God, how I can count on Him to always be there for me.  

As the sun rises behind the sheath of fog, revealing sunny skies to the west, I can receive the promise of God's divine blessing that is to come in my life, knowing that He directs the weather pattern and can use it to speak hope to my weary heart.

In order to live as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I must look for how He is showing Himself throughout all of creation.

As a "doer," it's easy for me to get caught up trying to prove myself as useful to God by staying busy in His kingdom work.  Really, though, He doesn't require this of me, nor has He asked me to do such nonsense.  Instead, He desires His people to know who He is, live as people who acknowledge His glory throughout the nations, and notice all the ways He exalts Himself in all the earth.  In essence, I must be still, and let God be God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stop trying to do for God, and just be with Him.

How do I miss His glory all around me?

When am I so busy doing, that I don't get a chance to enjoy His presence?