Daily Devotional For Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Good morning, or good day Southside! It is Terrific Tuesday. As the Bible says in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (ESV). Have you noticed how the world and everyone and everything around us seems to be getting louder? We rarely find ourselves in quiet or solitude. Even in the car, we usually have music or the radio going. When we exercise, we have ear pods or something similar with music or a podcast going. About the only time we have quiet and solitude is when we sleep, and even then, like in our house, we have nature sounds (either thunderstorm sound or ocean waves sound) going on in the background. It seems we have difficulty with silence.

Yet, God says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God” (ESV). Sitting still is a challenge for toddlers and small children. Being given the “silent treatment” by a spouse or significant other we do not like. So, let me ask you a question: Are you ready and prepared to receive from the Lord? God, through His Holy Spirit wants to teach you, comfort you, guide you, and empower you. But He will not make more noise or like in those SWAT and cop TV shows, kick down the door of your heart and force His way inside making enough noise until you are willing to listen. 

About a month ago in a sermon I encouraged us to take about 5-10 minutes, sit in silence, turn all digital devices off and then in that silence, ask God to speak to you. God wants to be invited in to talk to you. He does not want to have to compete for your attention nor does He want to be one of many noises you hear. Therefore, I am asking that all of us make ourselves willing and available for God to speak to us. God is always willing and available for us. This means this has to be a priority in your life. 

Isn’t it amazing how we make our job/career a priority. We make eating meals a priority. We make watching our favorite TV shows a priority. We make exercise a priority. We make our education and homework a priority. My point is this: we find time for what is important to us. One of the reasons God may feel distant from us is we have been distant from Him. Thus, we have to be prepared for God to speak. 

The Hebrew word translated as “be still” is [רָפָה, harpu] and the translation is misleading. The literal Hebrew says “stop or cease striving or stop or cease fighting.” The New American Standard Bible says, “Cease striving and know that I am God. . .” The Christian Standard Version says, “Stop your fighting and know that I am God . . .” God was saying through this Psalm to His people “snap out of it,” “wake up,” or “stop fearing” your enemies. Meaning acknowledge Who God is and be in awe of Who He is. The word “be still,” there is nothing wrong with these words but understanding the context does help and add more to these two words. God used David to say something to both the people of God and the enemies of God in Psalm 46:10. This is why Psalm 46:1-3 says this:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, (3) though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling” (ESV).

The words “be still” should ring a bell with all of us. In Mark 4, Jesus leaves in a boat with His disciples at evening. While they are rowing across, two things happened: Jesus fell asleep from fatigue and a horrific storm hit them. The Bible says that the waves were so big they were not only breaking against the boat, but also inside of the boat filling it. The disciples fearing for all of their lives, woke Jesus up. And it says that once awake, Jesus rebuked the storm with two words: “Be still.” Immediately the sea and the weather died down in silence as a way to express awe and reverence to the Creator. 

Psalm 46 reminds us that whatever storms we find ourselves in during the day or night. We must stop and acknowledge through worship our Creator. This means we do exactly what the disciples did that day. Look at Mark 4:39, “And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, `Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’” (ESV). Jesus was trying to teach them a lesson that all of today still need to learn — As God in the flesh, He is sovereign over all. Therefore, we cannot go to other things for our security. 

This psalm is all about God being our security. The people of God are always secure no matter what our environment or circumstances may be. To be still and know that God is God calls the people of God out from considering politics or the military or the banks/economy or your job or retirement are good securities. They are not because they can change of go away in a heart beat. That is the point of Psalm 46:2-3 above. 

To know who God is in the Hebrew is to know factually who God is: know His past acts, know His promises, know His Word so that you know Him. God is the Defender of His own name, His people, and His Word. God alone is our protector, the Sovereign ruler and our refuge. It is as if God is saying in Psalm 46:10, “Silence. I reign.” Psalm 8:1 says, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (ESV). 

The point is no matter who or what your enemies may be, our God is more powerful and is not intimidated by them nor defeated by them. So, stop trying other things other than God. “Cease striving” with a substance or education or money or a person and listen to God. Christian pastor and author Eugene Peterson writes this:

Be still. Quit rushing through the streets long enough to become aware that there is more to life than your little self-help enterprises. When we are noisy and when we are hurried, we are incapable of intimacy—deep, complex, personal relationships. If God is the living center of redemption, it is essential that we be in touch with and responsive to that personal will. If God has a will for this world and we want to be in on it, we must be still long enough to find out what it is (for we certainly are not going to learn by watching the evening news). Baron von Hugel, who had a wise word on most subjects, always held out that "nothing was ever accomplished in a stampede” (Source: Eugene Peterson, Earth and Altar (InterVarsity Press, 1985), pp. 77-79).

Questions To Consider

1. Do you sit still enough to hear from God each day? Why or why not?
2. If we are going to hear from God, we have to remove external distractions. We can be so busy with good things that that the best thing — our time with God — gets pushed aside. What external distractions do you need to remove to hear from God?
3. If we are going to hear from God, we have to remove internal distractions. This means we have to clear our mind of wandering thoughts. Here’s a suggestion: keep a piece of paper/pen close by. You remember something that has to be done — write it down or put in your Notes on your phone or in your reminders and then go back to being still. What internal distractions do you need to remove in order to hear from God?
4. What do you know factually about God? How can this help you with distractions, worries, fears, anxieties and concerns?
5. “Cease striving” — stop going to anything other than God for your help. Who or what is it that you typically go to for help before you go to God and why?

Scripture To Meditate On: Psalm 100:3, “Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture” (ESV).

Prayer To Pray: “God, You are an awesome God. Thank You for Your continual presence. You, alone, deserve my praise and adoration. God, please forgive me in the past for going to anything or anyone else before I go to you. God, please help me go to You first before I go to anyone else or anything else. God, help me to remove both the external and internal distractions so that I can hear from You. God, convict me to remind myself of Your promises, Your Word and Your character. I know You love me. I want You to be the living center of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! — Pastor Kelly