18-Feb-15 – Emily's Snippets

Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.” Zechariah 2:13Be still and know that I am God….is one of the most arresting verses to me. I picture the teenage me, turning up the radio to listen to Frank Sinatra. My Mother would tell me to turn it down. I have pondered this for many years. Just what is the stillness God wants us to engage in? The cessation of all noise? Or is it more?Peace versus anxiety. Anxiety is of the world and Peace is of God. Peace is described in the lyrics — “All is well with my soul….” Anxiety was described by a dear friend of mine, as trying to get out of your skin. Peace is ‘found’ and Anxiety is ‘frantic searching’. Peace is ‘enough’ and Anxiety is ‘more and never enough’. Peace is ‘contentment’ and Anxiety is ‘unrest’.Isaiah 30:15 underlines strength of quietness and confidence is ours only in returning to our Holy One, the Sovereign Lord. Where are we? Walking to the Sovereign Lord, or walking away from Him. This is a continuous choice. Awakening with our Lord, falling asleep with Lord, seeing God in all that we do during the day. This is our choice. The last sentence carries grief, may it not be. May we follow Jesus, the One who loves us before we loved Him. Glory, glory, glory to our Lord.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. Isaiah 30:15