Faith is the subject that has been on my mind all day.  As I wrote this morning’s blog entry on standing firm in our faith, I felt a bit uneasy – as if I had left something out.  I still can’t quite put my finger on it.  So tonight, I want to take some time and just reflect on the notion of faith. 

I’m always amazed at people for who faith seems to come easy.  (Please note, I said “seems.”)  Faith really runs counter to the way we are taught to live.  Have a plan, set your goals, know where you are going, right?

But that’s the problem.  We don’t know where we’re going.  We may think we do.  We may have life planned to the nth degree.  And – don’t misunderstand me – it is great to plan.  We need to plan for the future. 

However… we cannot let the plan run our lives.  As I wrote earlier, we are all traveling down the road of life, and we can only see what is right in front of us.  If you can look me in the eye and tell me you know, without a shadow of doubt, exactly what life is going to bring tomorrow – or even in two minutes – you are either fooling yourself and/or full of yourself. 

Listen, faith is a conundrum for some of us.  Faith in God requires an admission of frailty on our parts.  We have to be willing to accept the fact that we do not control our lives, we cannot know everything, and that is actually OK.  For a control freak like me, who likes to have all the facts and analyze every possible outcome before moving forward, faith can be agony.  Waiting on God!  I’ve got things to do!

Consider this: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” – 2 Peter 1:3 (ESV).  In other words, God is in control, not me.  God’s “divine power” blesses me with all I need for life and godliness.  So… if I have faith in God (as opposed to self), why would I ever sweat it when my plans crumble before me?  If God has not granted me something, I must not need it.  And if life has hit the fan, God must have a plan for me.  I have to believe that.

And God doesn’t just say “believe” and leave it at that.  He has left plenty of evidence to satisfy our inner-Thomases.  In His Word we find “the knowledge of him.”  In nature, we see the incontrovertible proof of His creation.  We have the miracles of Christ.  But at some point, we all need to be shoved off into the deep end of the pool in order to swim.  We have to make the leap and simply say, “Yes, I believe.”  And then begin to believe.

When doubt comes, squelch it.  We have to walk by faith, not by sight.  We have to believe every word of Scripture is true and accurate and right and God’s.  We have to know that God loves us and is with us and never leaves us.  That can be real tough in the deepest part of the middle of the night.  But we have to grasp it.  We have to let go of self and let God call the shots. 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. – Hebrews 11:1-3 (KJV)

Faith is God’s way of doing business.  It takes the onus of performance and perfection off of us and puts it squarely on God.  The Lord doesn’t ask us to be perfect.  He just requires us to be faithful.  God enables us to be bold, because by faith all the realm of the Lord through Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ opens wide to us. 

It’s funny.  As I said, today I have been thinking a lot about faith.  And it seems like every song I heard – on the radio, on my MP3 player – every song dealt with faith, and waiting on the Lord, and simply believing.  It was when Michael Card’s “By Faith” came on that I decided the fix was in.  So, tonight, I want to emphasize what I wrote this morning.  Be strong in your faith.  Build up your faith through studying – diligently studying – His Word and spending plenty of time praying – diligently praying.  As Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8, KJV).

Faith brings a freedom to life that cannot truly be experienced without it.  It is by faith that we are enabled to live and it is by faith that we are saved for it is by faith that God is experienced and it is by faith that God works. 

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.  Do everything in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)

Here is a simple fact: we all have faith.  Even the staunchest atheist believes in something, even if that “something” is nothing.  The question is not if you believe.  The question is, where do you put your faith?  And why?  Because the truth of the matter is, your faith is going to determine your destiny – in a very eternal way.

What is faith?  “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV).   Faith (πίστις, pistis) is, by its definition, not just thinking something might be right.  Faith is assurance.  To truly have faith in something (or, in this case, Someone) is to convinced, to be unswervingly persuaded.  It is to know that you know that you know.  When you are convinced, convicted and connected, nothing is going to move you.  Faith is the chain that tethers believers to our anchor, Jesus Christ. 

We can’t see Heaven.  We can’t see a way through our circumstances.  We can’t see what is going to happen tomorrow – or even five minutes from now.  But, as Christians, we have the assurance that Jesus is with us, the Holy Spirit is guiding us, God’s Word is absolutely right and true and accurate and God will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).  That means He will never abandon you.  Never.  Ever.

Stand firm in your faith in Jesus Christ.  Do not be swayed.  James described the person of uncertain faith as being “double-minded.”  I think we can all relate to that, can’t we?  We’ve all experienced times when Satan has roared at us like a lion, bearing his teeth and putting the fear in us.  This is why Peter warns us – and it bears repeating:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world – 1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV).

The devil doesn’t want to eat our lunch.  We are lunch!  This is why it is so absolutely vital that we stand firm in our faith in Jesus, that we refuse to allow anything to get between us and God.  And we have to be vigilant.

Today, I want to encourage you to firm up your faith.  Stay anchored to Jesus.  I cannot say it enough: pray, Bible, pray, Bible, pray, Bible…  Paul writes that we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:7).  In other words, always be in an attitude of prayer, ever mindful of the Lord’s presence.  Be filled with joy and ready to defend what you believe in. 

You have a job to do.  Each of us has a God-given role, people to reach for Christ, love to give.  Part of that will always require living out our faith.  Are you ready to be bold for the Lord today?  Steven Curtis Chapman sang about the life of faith being “the great adventure,” and he was right.  Another simple fact: we are all driving in the dark, unsure of what the next minute may bring.  Isn’t it better to have a guide who knows His way than to barrel on alone in the dark?

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
   From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
   who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
   he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;
   the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;
   he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep
   your going out and your coming in
   from this time forth and forevermore. – Psalm 121 (ESV)

Just a reminder as we begin another week, filled with all the busyness of life and work and family… When problems come, when stress sets in, when troubles beset you, keep in mind that what want you see is not necessarily a clear picture of what is going on.  Instead of focusing on life’s trials, remember that we are called to live by faith, not by sight (Galatians 3:10-12, Hebrews 10:38).  The Lord God is our keeper, our protector, our sustainer.  After all, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, ESV).  Trust in, rely in, rest in the Lord this week (and always).  He will keep you forevermore.

If you know someone who would be blessed by this message (or any of Chris’ other messages), please feel free to share this.  Please also tell your family and friends about the website: https://bouvillediarist.wordpress.com/  Thank you and have a blessed week!

“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’ When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and have no fear.’ And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.” – Matthew 17:1-8 (ESV)

Busy busy busy… so much to do, so little time… if only there were two of me… Sometimes we get so busy, so focused on the task at hand, that we lose sight of the bigger picture.  For those of us who are task oriented people, it can be very easy to slip into “gotta get it done mode,” forgetting the importance of why.

The scene at the Transfiguration of Jesus is hard to picture.  Try to imagine it, if you can.  Before the eyes of Peter, James and John, Jesus was transformed (the Greek word for “transfiguration,” μεταμορφόω, is where we get our word “metamorphosis”).  They saw Him as God Incarnate, a foretelling of the Risen Christ to come, His face radiant in majesty and glory!  Not only that, Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah, who had been dead for thousands of years.  (There is much significance in this, but in the interest of brevity, we’ll discuss that another time.)

What would your initial reaction be to such a scene?  Would you be stunned in disbelief?  Would you not believe your eyes?  Peter had faith.  He has professed to Jesus that he knows Christ is the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16).  Indeed, Peter had great faith.  So much so that His initial reaction was a great desire to serve – which is wonderful.  (Don’t misunderstand what I am about to say.  More of us should be so quick to leap to service!)  “Let me make tents for you guys to stay in!”  Hindsight being 20/20, it is easy to look at this episode and see that Peter missed the true significance of what he was witnessing.  But part of the reason Peter missed it was his mindset.

The lesson to be gleaned here is one of having the right heart behind service.  Now, again, I am not here to accuse Peter of anything the rest of us aren’t guilty of.  To implicate Peter of anything would be hypocritical.  But I believe one of Peter’s problems was the same one Martha had. 

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."  But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." – Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

Martha was so busy doing her thing to please Jesus that she missed the importance of simply being in God’s presence, soaking in His teaching, worshipping and focusing on God.  Martha and Peter had the best of intentions.  But what God desires most out of us is not busyness just for the sake of being busy for God.  We need first to have our hearts right, and means being focused on Jesus Christ above all else. 

Notice the reaction of Peter, James and John when God spoke in Matthew 17:5-8.  They fell on their faces in terrified awe.  They realized Who they were standing before.  Verse 5 basically tells us that God shut Peter up and got his attention.  Their focus was definitely focused squarely on God at this point.  And when Jesus told them to “rise and have no fear,” what did they see?  “No one but Jesus alone.”  Notice the emphasis: Jesus and Jesus only.  It is when we see Christ and Him alone that we are ready to be equipped.  It is far more important to understand “why” we do what we do than to just look for “what.”

The stress of the busyness of the world melts away when we take the time to sit at the feet of Jesus.  Take time today to worship Him, in prayer, in song, in study… whatever works best for you.  Prepare your heart first.  He will lead your hands and feet.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” – 1 Timothy 1:6-7 (ESV)

Ask any Boy Scout who has been camping and he’ll tell you: just because a fire isn’t aflame doesn’t mean it is completely out.  Buried deep beneath the ashes and burnt timber you may just find hot embers, glowing red and ready to flame up again.  All that campfire fire needs is some fresh kindling and a good stirring.

The same is true with our souls.  How is your spiritual walk these days?  Has life thrown a wet blanket over your soul and left you feeling damp and cold?  Remember this: if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, that means the Holy Spirit lives within you.  And the Spirit is a fire that cannot be extinguished.

Today, if you are feeling a little spiritually stale, I want to encourage you to stir those coals until they burst into flame.  No need to struggle through life alone.  “God gave us a spirit of power and love and self-control.”  Let His fire burn deep and strong within you, burning away the chaff from your life.  Remember all the Lord has done – and continues to do – for you.  And celebrate God, not merely for what He has done for you, but for Who He Is – the Great I AM, the Creator and Sustainer Who is great beyond our comprehension!  

“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul
   and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him,"
   lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
   my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
   because he has dealt bountifully with me.” – Psalm 13 (ESV)

We all go through painful seasons in life where it feels like God has abandoned us.  Prayers seem to fall on deaf ears.  Adversity doesn’t lift.  Pain doesn’t ease.  Sorrow, frustration, mourning, confusion, uncertainty, anger… they are constant companions. 

Our lives will all be punctuated with difficult moments.  But, take heart.  God never leaves His children.  No matter what you are facing, He is always there.  He will see you through the storms in your life.  Sometimes it is difficult to see or hear God when the winds are howling and the storm raging. 

But notice the words David uses at the end of this psalm: trusted, steadfast, rejoice, salvation, sing, dealt bountifully.  Take a moment to look back at times of trouble you have already been through.  Hindsight is 20/20.  If you think about it, you will find times when God led you through – or pulled you out.  He did it before.  He’ll do it again.

Remember what Paul wrote:  Rejoice!  Rejoice at all times, despite circumstances, for the Lord is near (Philippians 4:4-5).  Trust God and find your joy in Him.  And hang in there.

If you know someone who would be blessed by this message, please feel free to share this with them.  You can find this (and other encouraging articles) on the web at: https://bouvillediarist.wordpress.com/

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.  Do everything in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV)

It may be presumptuous of me to think anyone cares, but I’m going to share with you – or at least attempt to share – my heart for ministry.  Well… some small part of it.  If I really got into the subject and wrote as deeply as I’d like, you’d be reading a book, not a blog.  And since I find brevity too often to be my enemy, this will be a bit of a struggle. (As you can see, I’m wrestling with the fine art of getting to the point at this very moment.)  So… here we go.

I believe, quite strongly, that I have a job to do.  A God-given task.  And the same goes for you.  Each of us is wired differently – unique gifts, talents, abilities, desires, dreams… I feel my job is, in part, to encourage believers to dare to live out the plan God has placed within them and before them. 

Living the life God plans for us requires four elements (which Paul spells out in the verse at the top of this post):

Be on your guard

In the original text, this phrase is expressed as one Greek word: γρηγορέω (grēgoreō).  It is a warning sign, an exhortation to be diligent in vigilance.  Remember, as Peter so aptly warns us, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV). 

If you are my age, you probably remember watching Wild Kingdom.  While Marlin Perkins was sitting in his wood paneled den, poor Jim Fowler was somewhere in the African jungle.  Marlin would describe the action taking place, explaining what Jim was doing out there in the bush and why.  And then, all of a sudden, you’d hear Marlin say (in an overly calm voice), “Uh-oh, looks like Jim unknowingly stepped on that lion’s tale.  Look at the vice-like jaws on that Panthera leo.  Those teeth can tear a gazelle into lunchmeat in a matter of minutes.  Good thing Jim has life insurance with Mutual of Omaha.”  (Cut to commercial.)

For what it’s worth, Jim never got torn limb from limb on national television.  Why?  He was diligent in vigilance.  He was careful, watchful, mindful of what was going on around.  (Plus, I’ll bet his senses perked and the hair on the back of his neck reflexively stood straight up every time he heard Marlin say, “Uh-oh…”)  Understand this: we have an enemy.  And when we’re doing nothing with our lives, we’re no threat.  But, as soon as we begin doing something good or noble or living out the plan of God for our lives, we become a threat to our enemy, and, thus, a target. 

Know the warning signs.  Understand the danger ahead.  Maybe the problem is pride, or fear, or some temptation that weakens us.  Be very careful not to let your work be undermined.  Don’t give the enemy a toe-hold.  Be alert, be ready, be wise, be on your guard. 

How do we do this?  First – and you will find I always prescribe this first – pray and stay.  Spend time with God every day, praying and staying in His Word.  Have a reading plan, have a notebook.  Don’t just toss out a quick “’Mornin’ Lord, gee thanks, gotta go!”  Take the time – invest the time – to prayerfully seek Him. 

Second, have an accountability partner.  Find someone you trust, someone you can talk to, and make a point of having regular, weekly (at the very least) contact.  Honest contact.  Let them know where your weak points are, and help them with theirs.  Let them be your Marlin Perkins. 

Third, be determined.  Set your mind on doing God’s work God’s way.  Let God’s Word be the standard for your life.  See sin for what it is and avoid it like the plague.  Let God rule your life, as opposed to letting circumstances call the shots.  Be wise.  Be mindful.  Be prayerful.  And when you hear that voice say, “Uh-oh,” be prepared.

Next time: Maintaining a Firm Stance in Our Faith

”Where can I go from your Spirit?
   Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
   if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
   your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me
   and the light become night around me,’
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
   the night will shine like the day,
   for darkness is as light to you.” – Psalm 139:7-12 (NIV)

My brother and I spent most of our childhood summer days at our grandparents’ farm.  We had a lot of fun, playing in the woods, feeding the chickens and cows… and getting into fights.  And if we messed up, we knew what the consequences would be.  Grandpa had a bad heart, so he was no real threat.  And while our grandma ran a tight ship and put up with no nonsense, we knew where the real punishment would come from.

Dad.

Oh no… wait until your father gets home.  Oh man…

I remember the feeling.  The trembling nerves, the clenched knot in the pit of the stomach.  The trouble was gonna hit the fan.  We were in for it.  We had definitely had it.  We had sealed our fate.  If tomorrow came for us, we would thank God for sparing us from the horrific punishment that surely faced us when Dad came home.

But, here’s the deal.  We survived every time.  In our minds, Dad was going to get us for whatever we had done.  In fact, the fear of punishment was far greater than anything Dad ever meted out.  He loved us.  He wasn’t abusive or anything.  It was just that, whatever we had done wrong, the fear of punishment made the consequences seem so awful…

Maybe today you are running from your Father – your Heavenly Father.  Maybe you have sinned and think you are beyond saving.  Maybe you are dealing with feelings of shame that keep you from believing you can go to God.  Maybe the pain of guilt is so acute that you cannot imagine the punishment you think is awaiting you.

Listen to me… God is not out to get you.  You are not “in for it.”  God wants you to come to Him.  He wants to forgive you, to restore you.  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV).  Today – right this second – stop running from God.  He loves you.  God loves you. 

God loves you.

You.

Get that in your soul.  Read those words over and over until they soak in and become real to you.

Know this: no matter what you have done, you are not going to surprise God.  He is not going to hear your confession, gulp and exclaim, “You did WHAT??!!”  Guess what: God already knows.  Confessing isn’t revealing anything to God.  Confession causes us to be aware of our sin.  It is one think to know when we mess up.  It is another to hear the words come out of our mouths in our own voice. 

You cannot outrun the Lord.  Turn around, run to God, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness.  And receive the forgiveness and restoration of your soul by faith in God through Jesus Christ.  Remember, when God forgives, He truly – thoroughly – forgives.  There is no memory of your sin.  You are cleansed – your record expunged. 

So… today – now – please…. stop running away.  You don’t need to avoid the Lord.  Go to Him.  Ask Him for forgiveness.  Live free of guilt and shame.  Live free in God!!  He is faithful, and He loves you. 

“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” – Romans 1:17 (NIV)

John Lennon once sang, “God is a concept by which we measure our pain.”  Now, if you are reading this blog, my guess is you probably do not agree with that assessment.  (For the record, I do not believe the ex-Beatle’s theological views were correct.)

Still, I wonder how many people would agree with this lyric – at least in part.  How many believe in a concept of deity as opposed to the God of the Bible?  Now… considering the topic at hand, I am quite mindful of the depths and prayerful that I do not stumble over a cliff here.  If one wants to dig deeply from the theological mine, I would suggest reading Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology or Millard Erickson’s Christian Theology. Both are incredible volumes (in my humble opinion), and both very heavy – in content and physical weight.

Many of us try to figure God out.  We come up with ideas about who He is that make sense to our way of thinking.  But, if we think it through, Christianity is very illogical.  Consider this:  God – the Immense, Immeasurable Creator of the Universe – took the form of a human (Jesus Christ, God Incarnate).  Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfectly pure and sinless life and died the horrific death of a common criminal.  On the third day following His crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead, appeared to hundreds of witnesses and, forty days later, ascended into heaven. 

This is not an allegory.  This is no morality tale, no mere story meant to teach us a lesson.  It is a historical event.  It happened.  It is real. 

And, from a human standpoint, it is illogical.

Frankly, I’m thankful that it is illogical.  And you should be, too.  I would be greatly disappointed to discover that the God I worship and serve is no smarter than a mere human and thus bound by our logic.  The idea of a God Whose cognitive abilities are no better than mine is disappointing.  Depressing.  Detrimental to faith.

Faith is the bedrock of the whole thing.  The simple fact of the matter is we – as in humanity – do not possess the powers of cognition to fully “get” God.  We come up with so many theories and ideas and this and that to try to explain what God does / did and how and why… We come up with notions and develop theories, when all we need to know is in Scripture, the Bible, the inerrant (in its original autographs) Word of God. 

Prove it?  That’s just the point.  (And, for some, it is a sticky point at that.)  We need to take it on faith.  There is plenty of evidence to weigh if you need some proof for God’s existence or Scripture’s reliability. (Another big heavy book, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell is a great read).  Frankly, you’d be a fool who’d believe anything to buy into a belief system without some good evidence for its legitimacy.  But, no matter how educated one becomes, at some point everyone will run up against the same wall: it is a heart matter.  It is a faith matter.

There is a reason God didn’t provide all the tangible proof that skeptics feel the need to require.  Quite simply, the Christian life is a matter of faith.  It is about relying on God, not our feeble abilities.  It is about believing in God.  It is about believing not simply that Jesus existed.  Even atheists will tell you a man named Jesus Christ lived in the first century AD.  It is about accepting by faith the forgiveness brought by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, on the cross.  It is about accepting the Bible as the Holy (and wholly) Inspired Word of God.  It is about taking God at His Word, accepting salvation by faith.

Don’t misunderstand me.  I believe theology is important.  I believe whole-heartedly that there is no better study for a person to take part in than the study of God and the Bible.  There is no better way to know God.  Indeed, knowing God is impossible without the Bible.  However, any learning about the Lord must be built on a foundation of faith.  The two work together (faith and reason, that is).

God is no concept.  God is not bound by our ideas and isms.  God is God, and we are His creation.  And, if you think about it, isn’t it quite illogical for the creation to exceed its Creator?

“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 (ESV)

My friend Satish and I were talking today, and he made a comment that is lodged in my head.  Let me paraphrase his observation: You can tell how well one’s quiet time with God is going by how much that person is struggling.  The better the peaceful one-on-one time with the Lord, the stronger and better equipped we are to face the travels and troubles ahead.

It is a truth that Psalm 46 spells out for us.  Verses 1-9 describe a turbulent walk.  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” begins the chapter.  From there, we read about churning, foaming waters and crumbling, quaking mountains.  Nations and wars “rage”, kingdoms collapse, and chariots burn.  Through all of this, God is in control, bringing “desolations” on the earth.  Then, abruptly, as the description of chaos reaches crescendo, God says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Be still.  Raphah (still) is a Hebrew word that means “relax,” “refrain,” “abandon,” “leave it alone.”  In other words, let go.  Whatever battle is raging in your life, let it go.  Relax – be still – and recognize God for Who He is.  He is the conqueror of all.  He is the exalted one, over all – everything – there is nothing outside of His reign! 

Grab your Bible, take a minute and read Psalm 46.  Notice something: verse 11 is a repeat of verse 7:

‘”The LORD of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah”

God is our ever-present fortress.  This is really important to understand, so much so that the psalmist repeats the statement.  When you read a statement repeated in Scripture, it is for emphasis.  It means a very important message is being conveyed.  Not only that, both times the statement ends with the word selah.  Whenever you see selah in Scripture, stop.  The word means “pause and ponder this.”  Consider the message – deeply.  Meditate on it. 

When I meditate Psalm 46, here is how it boils down: God is God and I am not.  All the thoughts and ideas and concerns and things that I focus on need to be stripped away, for they all melt away in the presence of our Wonderful, Wondrous God.  God is, and I am His.  He (not my limited insights or comprehensions) defines reality.  He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.  He is also personal and His Holy Spirit indwells me.  God will bring whole nations to their knees.  Whatever I bring before Him is small potatoes – no problem for God.

As we begin our descent into another busy week, I want to encourage – urge – each of you to take some time (preferably first thing in the morning) and be still before the Lord.  Set aside the busyness, the stress, the troubles.  Relax.  Let go.  And spend time with the Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth, Our Heavenly Father.  Recognize Him for Who He is.  And realize that He is with us – always.  Talk with Our Father, spend time prayerfully in His Word.  Be still, and know that He is God – the Almighty Who loves you beyond comprehension.

Have a blessed week!