Reflection on “Be Still and Know that I Am God!” September 10, 2024
“Cease striving 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 stronghold.” Psalm 46:10-11.
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore, we
will not fear, though the earth should change. And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Psalm 46:1-3.
God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.
The Hebrew word for ‘be still’ is Raphah, which means to ‘sink down, relax, let go, cease fighting.’ In the world, we use sinking down, when in despair. God gives us peace when we depend on Him.
“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him. securely on high, because he has known My name. “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. “With a long life, I will satisfy him and let him see my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16.
Each time we repeat the Lord’s Prayer, we choose God as our Lord. Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9b-10. This prayer is the one Jesus taught his disciples. The chapter ends with sage advice: So, do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34.
How can we truly ‘know’ the Lord? Romans 3:23 tells us: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are sinful creatures. The recognition of this sends us to search His Word, the Holy Bible, to seek God’s Truth. Boring? Don’t understand? The more we read His Word we grow in knowing the Lord. How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Your precepts I get understanding. Therefore, I hate every false way. Psalm 119:103-104.
My Dad often practiced telling a Bible story he would tell his boys’ Sunday School the next morning by telling us. We always knew when it reached the climax, as when Abraham pulled the knife, readying to sacrifice his own son, Isaac. The Lord provided a lamb in the bushes to take Isaac’s place on the altar.
Jesus died on the cross as the sacrifice for the sins we commit. The prayer Jesus prayed before going to the cross astounded me. And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36.
We don’t want to die and try to avoid death in any way we can. Jesus didn’t avoid the pain of the whips, and being crowned with a crown of thorns. It was not His will but the Father’s in heaven that He endured the nails driving through His feet and His hands.
Whose will do we desire? It is usually ours! When troubles come, I ask God. What are You teaching me? In rehab for 4 months, while exercising, I asked this Question. The answer came through this scripture, Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31.
Therefore, repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you. Acts 3:19.
Therefore, I the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6.
Unity in a body of Christ is a beautiful gift from our God when we follow Him. And learning to love God’s way, not our way. What is the perfect bond of unity? Beyond all these things, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:14-15.
God the Father, Christ Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a threesome that is a spiritual unity and when we are baptized, we have all three in our hearts. Imagine the unity we can rejoice in when we all love as God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Trusting, believing, and Obedience without pride or envy allow us to reflect God’s Love.
Through Christ Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our lives can be filled with God, and we can experience the joy of truly knowing Him. Communication with God, called prayer, with the God who knows us through and through. He knows the secrets we have not asked forgiveness for.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6. As we plan our lives, do we plan whether it is to be God’s way? Do we want to live eternally? Or do we want our way, our truth, and our life? Then we will forego the joy of living, with a Hope that lasts for an eternity.
Therefore, Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” John 5:19.
Who are we when we obey? For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.