My awesome, Grandchildren, and Annika, Kaleigh, Kate, Gavin; whom I love and pray for every day: Are we feeling overwhelmed, anxious and fatigued in all the chaos of COVID-19, 123,348 deaths as of 04-14-20! That’s 5,387 more than yesterday!! Are we worn out because of persistent tragedies, constant bad news, the mentality and the stress that goes along with it?? What if we were able to live a life with more purpose, ease, clarity and CALM? Let’s see how the disciples experienced calm as they were caught in a large storm, “…a GREAT windstorm arose, and the waves BEAT INTO THE BOAT, so that it was already FILLING. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “TEACHER, DO YOU NOT CARE THAT WE ARE PERISHING?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “PEACE, BE STILL!” And the wind ceased and there was a GREAT CALM. But He said to them, “WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL? HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVE NO FAITH?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “WHO CAN THIS BE, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (Mark 4:37-41) These men had witnessed many miraculous things so far in their being with Jesus but it seems there is still a lot of unbelief in their hearts, “…I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, HOW WILL YOU BELIEVE if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3:12)
So, let’s think about this from the Psalms: “BE STILL, AND KNOW that I AM GOD; I will be EXALTED among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psa. 46:10)
- BE STILL: Hebrew definition is to stop striving, to let go, to surrender. This chapter begins with God is our refuge… we can take comfort in LETTING GO and RESTING IN GOD to provide HELP, STRENGTH and SAFETY. How often do we ask God for things but we don’t STOP TO LISTEN, EXAMINE, or BE STILL!
- KNOW: “I suffer the loss of things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (2 Tim. 1:12) The storms may rage but we are FREE FROM THE EFFECTS OF THEM. They no longer trouble us because WE KNOW in whom we have trusted. We are in a place where we no longer fear and that is our goal.
- I AM GOD: How does acknowledging God impact our stillness? Because God is, Omniscient – all knowing, Omnipresent – universally present, Omnipotent – all powerful – Holy, Faithful, and Sovereign Infinite – without measure, forever.
Notice: […We must understand that the bible says:] “BE STILL, AND KNOW that I AM GOD.” !!!] That’s for you: Stephanie, Ethan, Camden, Olivia, Aidan, Landon, Kinsley, Annika, Kaleigh, Kate, Gavin…