Rest Stop
By: Misty Grimes
Day One: Be Still
Focal Scripture: “Be still and, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10)
Introduction:
Over the past 18 months we have all come to realize our “new normal” as we have been faced with so much change in this world that is beyond our control! This has been harder for some of us to accept, or adjust to, than others because being in control is a big deal for us and just the thought of not being in control terrifies us. Many of us have been faced with problems far beyond our control, some having just to do with “regular” life events and others having to do with the events that have thrown us into a new normal. Regardless of whether the gathering storms are part of the “regular norm” or the “new norm” we are still often placed in a spot in our journey where it seems impossible to escape and we become filled with fear and panic. The question is: when something in your journey brings you to the point where things are beyond your ability to control or resolve, where does it lead you? Does it bring you to the point where you give into the fear and the despair or does it bring you to your knees before God? Psalm 46:1-3 tells us how we should answer this question: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with it tumult.” So how do we move from fear and trembling to a place where we know that God is our refuge, strength and ever present help? The answer is found in Psalm 46:10, our focal verse for the next two days. Today we will look at what it means to “be still” and in day two we will look at what it means to “know that I am God.”
Lesson:
Two key things to remember when we look at this verse: one, God Himself is the Speaker. He personally summons His people to contemplate who He is. Two, God just isn’t saying, “be still”, He is COMMANDING us to “be still.”
The Hebrew word that translates as “be still” is har’pu. It comes from the root raphah which means to sink or relax. These are the same words that Jesus says to the wind and the waves in Mark 4:39 and when he spoke those words the wind and the sea completely died down in silence, in awe and in worship of the creator. Here God is commanding us to settle down and rest in His protective care and carefully consider what He has done for us. He COMMANDS us to stop fighting and open our eyes to who He is. In the midst of our struggle He COMMANDS us to wake up and recognize who is on our side! Pastor John Casteel says, “There is silence and stillness that should overtake us in the presence of someone that is so overwhelmingly holy and glorious. The call to all is to be still before our holy, awesome, and glorious God.”
We can sum up what it means to “be still” in three ways:
- Pausing and reflecting on what He has done. Psalm 37:7 says, ‘Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil desires.” We can all look back on our journey and see how God has delivered us in the past, ways in which He has reversed our setbacks and brought us through and given us not only major victories but small ones as well. We have a tendency to focus on the big victories and thus forget that even when our requests seemed small and we came before Him with some reluctance because we believed our concern at the time maybe didn’t warrant his intervention, he was still faithful and a seemingly small request became a big victory. God doesn’t look at the size of the battle, he just wants us to lay it at his feet and let Him do what he does: fight and win for us because we have faithfully entrusted it to Him.
- Pausing and marveling at His salvation. It is through salvation that we have ultimate security and it is this salvation that allows us to come into His presence to begin with. It is because of this salvation that we are equipped to be able to stand in His strength rather than our own. We are reminded of these truths in Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.” When we are confronted with mounting trials, we must stop despairing and believing that the trial we are facing is insurmountable and remember where He is because of His ultimate victory – He defeated death so that we might have life and have it more abundantly and thus He sits upon His throne, raised up over every circumstance and every trial that threatens us. Because of His sacrifice we can indeed say that He is our refuge, strength and stronghold and find that He is at work in the midst of our struggle. He always stands by us and defends us against all enemies.
- Pausing and considering who God is. I think the Psalmist said in best in Psalm 62:5 when he tells us, “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.” There should be no question in our minds, as Christians, of who God is and what He is doing in our life. At all times, no matter the situation or circumstance, God is and always will be God and He is always on His throne. In the midst of the conflict and life turmoil, sometimes we just need to open our eyes, step back, stop what we’re doing, and acknowledge who God is and what He can do. Doing so provides comfort in the chaos and peace in the midst of the struggle. He is the Lord! He is all powerful! He is in charge! Even when we don’t see it we need to remember that God has a sovereign plan and purpose for each and every one of us. When we remember who He is we should have no fear of what the world/Satan can do because we remember God always wins and thus, as His children, so do we.
Conclusion:
Cease striving. Stop fighting. Stop trying to do things on your own. Stop stressing. TRUST HIM! We make it harder on ourselves when we fail to remember that there is no panic in heaven so there should be no panic in us because He has everything under control. We have nothing to fear or worry about when we know He is with us and know that He will fight our battles for us when we let him. When we begin to feel that panic, fear, etc., is time to get out of His way. We need to step back, open our eyes, and acknowledge who He is and what He can do. We need to RUN to our quiet place and be still before Him and open our hearts and our ears to Him and His sovereign grace and let God be God and stop trying to do His job for him. Be patient! Be still! Let Him go to work. God, by His Word, accomplishes His victory. All we’re called to do is trust in that word and be faithful in walking in its way. Our God reigns! Always has and always will. That, my friends, is the only certainty in life!
Application:
Below are partial lyrics to the song, “Word of God Speak” by MercyMe. Go somewhere away from all distractions bringing with you only these lyrics, a piece of paper and a pen. If you are doing these devotionals with another person or your family, everyone find their own quiet place to go. Using these lyrics as a guide say a short prayer and then spend at least 15 minutes being still before God and let Him speak to you. Either as the Spirit leads or at the end of the 15 minutes, write down anything the Lord speaks to your heart and spend at least 15 minutes a day the rest of the week in a quiet spot reflecting on Him and His words to you and what He has asked you to do. I would encourage you to keep up this 15 minute time of being still before God at least once a week, EVERY week or more often if you feel led.
“I’m finding myself at a loss for words and the funny thing is it’s okay. The last thing I need is to be heard but to hear what You would say. Word of God speak would You pour down like rain washing my eyes to see Your majesty. To be still and know that You’re in this place. Please let me stay and rest in Your holiness. Word of God speak.”
Day Two: And Know
Focal Scripture: “Be still and, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10)
Introduction:
What does it mean to know God? To know God (who is Eternal) is to have eternal life. It is as if, by plugging into God, we are plugged into the source of life, and this life infuses us. When we talk of knowing God then, we are not simply talking of knowing alleged facts about God. We are not talking of what can be learned by studying theology or religious doctrine about God. Instead, we are speaking of knowing God in a personal way. When we know God, our life of faith is lived continually in acknowledgement and commitment to God’s sovereignty and rule. God is the defender of his own name, his people, and his Word. He alone is our protector. He is the only refuge worth running toward because He is the only refuge that will stand strong through every circumstance. His actions are not hindered by our fear and worrying or our distracted minds. God is God alone and he will protect those who believe in his name and trust in him. Sound like someone you want to get to know better? Then read on.
Lesson:
We are all familiar with the story of Job. What happened to Job was a result of Satan’s accusation that Job feared God because God gave him good things. God gave Satan permission to test Job because He knew Job, and knew Job knew Him. God was confident Job would not turn away from him because of affliction because Job didn’t just know about God, that God gives good things, but Job knew God, and that adversity comes from Him too. And in both, God is to be worshiped. Do you know God like Job did or do you just know about Him? What does that mean?
There are two areas of our life whereupon we come to know God:
- Cognitive dimension: In our heads (knowledge) when we talk to God. It is possible to know in our deepest places things about the character of God based on past communications and the accumulation of revelation in our hearts and minds. The knowledge of God includes factual knowledge about him, his past acts and his promises. For example, there are times we need to know God as faithful even when we can’t hear Him explaining the reasons for the things that are going on, or what the timing will be concerning His actions answering our prayers. Sometimes in the midst of meditation on God’s Word, in the midst of reflections, the Holy Spirit will make a truth about God come alive to us.
- Emotional dimension: In our hearts when we talk with God. God can be known personally. In human life we know other people mostly by what we see and hear of them in our interactions with them. What we feel in our heart or soul in relating with a given person is the emotional dimension of that relationship. The “feeling” we have in interacting with or thinking about that person is very important to us, and shapes the way we deal with them. It also shapes to some extent the kind of importance or hone we give to them. As we talk with God He is also speaking life into our hearts by words which are personally tailored to our needs and our situation at a particular point in time. The opening chapters of Genesis paint a beautiful picture of Adam and Eve enjoying a personal relationship with God. The story of God and Abraham does the same. In the examples of Moses and King David we have an open window into their hunger to know God more intimately.
We see that at the end of Job’s ordeal Job responded to God with: I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). Job didn’t know God as well before his ordeal as he did after, through his personal experience. He did not know why he was being afflicted, but in the end God revealed Himself to Job in ways Job had not known before. Their relationship grew. There are three ways that we come to truly know God as Job did.
- Through His Word. The advantage we have in developing our relationship with God is that He tells us about Himself in Scripture, His self-revelation. We should read Scripture daily, asking God ot open the eyes of our hearts to teach us. We are to meditate on God’s Word allowing it to move deeper into our minds and hearts with powerful effect. We are to know His word and let it become a part of our life. His Word is precious, valuable and a treasure. His Word sanctifies (purifies, cleanses) our hearts so we can live a godly life. Communication is essential for knowing anyone, including God; and it is primarily through the words of Scripture that God speaks to us. His Word is our only reliable source of knowledge about who God is; what He is like; what His will is; what His plans and purposes are; what He has done in the past; what He will do in the future; who we are; what life is all about; how we can know, love, and serve Him; what are the many promises He gives us; and how we can fulfill His purposes in the world. They are also God’s chief instrument for building our faith in Him. The Scriptures are God’s ultimate and final authority for what we are to believe and how we are to behave; they are our lifeline in this fallen world.
- Through Prayer. Prayer is more than just taking our needs and the needs of others before God. Prayer is also about listening, listening for His responses by keeping our eyes, ears and hearts open to see Him reveal Himself by what He does and says to us in both His Word and through others. Prayer is our primary way of communicating with God. It is an essential means for knowing God better. Prayer has been described as “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies”. As we walk with God through the ups and downs of life, lifting up our prayers to Him in faith and receiving His answers our experience with God and our trust in Him grow and our knowledge of Him, our faith in Him and our love for Him deepens. Also as part of our prayer life we should fast periodically as fasting and prayer is a way of intensifying our seeking after God and His help.
- Through our walk with Him. To walk with Him means we daily trust Him in all circumstances, living according to His Word. It means surrendering to Him, choosing to allow our own personal will to be swallowed up in His. This is the key to knowing God deeply. It may mean we never have answers for some of our questions or it may mean saying yes to His will before we even know what that means. Surrender to God comes before intimacy with God. Coming alive to God through Jesus Christ and surrendering ourselves to Him is knowing God and is the Christian life. Without this personal relationship with Him we cannot see, perceive, understand, or know God or His Kingdom. Part of this walk includes being actively involved in church – part of a body of believers – because it is here that we grow in our knowledge and love of God. Through the church we participate with fellow believers in the teaching and hearing of God’s Word through preaching and small group studies; we participate in the ordinance’s of baptism and the Lord’s supper. Being surrounded by other believers deepens our bonds of fellowship and enables us to care for and minister to one another in love, and sends us out into the world to reach others for Christ. This community of Christ is our family. In it we meet Christ in one another and experience His transforming power together. When we come together to worship Christ on Sundays and through Bible studies and prayer groups we build Christ-centered friendships and we are there to regularly pray and encourage one another.
Getting to know God more deeply doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time and it takes real effort. It is rooted in the deep work of God in our hearts, arousing hunger and desire and drawing us to engage our wills and our strength to seek Him (Philippians 2:12-13). It is utterly dependent upon our being filled with the Holy Spirit daily, for He alone can supply the power we need. A person is as close to God as he or she really wants to be (Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7). God offers everything we need in order to grow into deeper fellowship with Him and His Son, but we must embrace it.
Conclusion:
Knowing God is when our hearts and lives are in a place where God can reveal things about Himself, His values, His love and His purposes to us. Knowing God means progressively getting to know His heart as we hear His voice, hear His Word, feel His presence and see the things He wishes to show us. Paul is an excellent example of what it means to hunger more for God than to hunger for anything else (Philippians 3:10). His example shows us that no matter how long or how well we have known the Lord, there is always more. This knowing God happens in various ways. It comes not only when we seclude ourselves (be still before Him) so that we can pray and study but also only as we obey that Lord by serving our fellow man by helping the poor and needy and loving our neighbor as ourselves because it is through being obedient that we get to know His heart in a personal way and maintain a close sense of communion with Him. We are not only to be hearers of the Word but doers: “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act – they will be blessed in their doing” (James 1:22-25).
Overall Summation:
When you need a quick reminder of what it means to “Be still, and know that I am God” remember this:
Be Still: And Know: That I am God:
Stop talking Stop doubting God is Almighty
Switch off your phone Be sure God is in control
Stop commenting Have faith God is love
Listen No second opinion God is King
Stop arguing God is my hope, rock, fortress
Stop questioning God is ever-present
Stop moaning God is a help in time of trouble
God is my Father
God is my shepherd – He will lead me,
nourish me, protect me &
restore me
Application:
- Look up the following verses and discuss what they say about what it means to “know that I am God”.
Psalm 100:3
Jeremiah 9:23-24
John 17:3
Philippians 3:8-11
FURTHER STUDY CHALLENGE: The first way we get to know someone is to know their name. A name can be a legal proper name, how you address a person, a title they bear, a pet or nickname, or an attribute (something that describes them or a characteristic of theirs). How many names does God have? If you do a google search, you’ll get answers from seven to over a hundred. In the Bible, we find two names God decrees as his, but we find many more names people have given him. There are also names given to God through prophecy, as well as scriptures where God refers to himself with a name. While there are literally hundreds of names and titles for God found scattered throughout Scripture we should learn the names of God because they help us to know his character more. God’s names not only give us comfort, but they also give us insight into the many facets of who he is. As Christians, we strive to become more like God. And how we do so, is by learning about God’s character. How we learn about God’s character comes from understanding the meaning behind the names for God in Scripture. While there is no exhaustive list of the names of God below I have listed some of the names of God and their scriptural reference. My challenge to you is to prayerfully consider taking this on a topic for further Bible study either on an individual basis or with a group. Or keep the list in your Bible and when you are seeking God for a specific need in your life, reference this list and use it to guide you to both be still before Him and to get to know Him more.
Most Popular Names of God:
Most familiar use is Jehovah, a variant of Yahweh, which is translated into English as LORD. These are:
- Jehovah Jireh: The LORD our provider: Genesis 22:14
- Jehovah Rapha: The LORD our healer: Exodus 15:26
- Jehovah Nissi: The LORD our banner: Exodus 17:15
- Jehovah Shalom: The LORD our peace: Judges 6:24
- Jehovah Raah: The LORD our Shepherd: Psalm 23:1
- Jehovah Tsidkenu: The LORD our righteousness: Jeremiah 23:6
- Jehovah Shammah: The LORD is here: Ezekiel 48:35
Other Names of God in Scripture:
- Abba Father: Romans 8:15
- Adonai: Lord: I Samuel 24:8
- Alpha and Omega: First and Last; Beginning and End: Revelation 22:14
- Ancient of Days: Daniel 7
- El Roi: The God who Sees Me: Genesis 16
- Elohim: Supreme one or Mighty One: Genesis 1:1
- El Elyon: God Most High: Psalm 57:2
- Jesus: Luke 2:21
- Friend of Sinners: Matthew 11:19
Names of God Found in Prophecy:
- Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace: Isaiah 9:6
- Ruler of Israel: Micah 5:2
- Immanuel: Isaiah 7:14
- Branch: Zechariah 3:8
- Lion of Judah: Revelation 5:5
Names God Has Called Himself:
- El-Shaddai, God Almighty: Genesis 17:1
- The Good Shepherd: John 10:11
- Physician: Matthew 9:12