Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
" + "In the midst of the humdrum of everyday life, it is altogether easy to lose heart, to lose focus and become distracted, to give in to fear, that is, to forget that God is and that the "isness" of God does not prophesy our defeat, but our victory. In this time of increasing sin and violence, Jesus, our Peace, beckons. In this time of recession, Jesus, the embodiment of the limitless grace of God, still reigns. In this time, when human beings continue to look to themselves to save themselves, it behooves us as Christians to stop, look, and listen!
" + "In Psalm 46, the psalmist reminds us that the Reality of God is greater than the reality we see. Yet, everyday we allow the reality we see to trump the Reality of God. Thus, we busy ourselves with the little idols we have made — television, work, cars, money, other people, ourselves — because "busyness" suggests a life filled with purpose. When the going getting rough tempts us to believe that God is not enough, we occupy ourselves with these our little idols; we stop speaking, seeking, and listening to our Father instead of simply stopping. Brothers and sisters, amid a flurry of idolatrous activity, is it any wonder that our lives always seems so out of focus? Truly, life does go on, and sometimes literally stopping — putting a halt to all the humdrum — is called for. Yet, there is a stillness of soul — a deep abiding sense of joy, encouragement and contentment — that is in no way contingent upon our mobility or lack thereof. For, if we are determined to maintain our relationship with the Father in Jesus Christ, then we are empowered to have Selah moments (when we pause and consider the goodness of God) in the midst of the most violent storms. Let us not forget that conditions are always calmest in the eye of the storm.
" + "The Psalmist also exhorts us to discern and experience God, that is, not to look for signs, but, rather, to understand that the Sovereign God, our Loving Father, is well able to use signs that bear witness to Who He is. Brothers and sisters, Christianity is not spectator-oriented, but participator-oriented. We are the body of Christ: the eyes, the mouthpieces, the hands, the feet of the Resurrected One. Doubtless, the humdrum of everyday life causes us to question the Reality, Love, and Faithfulness of God, even the worthiness of our vocation at times. Yet, how often do the vicissitudes of life cause us to ask ourselves: "Are we looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 1:21)?" "Are we committed to God's gracious predestination of us to be conformed to the image of the Son of God, that is, to look like Jesus (Romans 8:29)?"
" + "Finally, knowing God, that is, growing in relationship with God in Christ Jesus depends on our communicating with the Father: this means our listening. For it is the Word of God — both the Holy Writ and God's revelatory speech to us in the here and now — that is our daily bread, which sustains and energizes us come what may. So, my brothers and sisters, we must stop, look, and listen! Ours is a mighty God! If study to show ourselves approved and commit to doing the Word and living in righteousness after the Spirit, then we can discern God's continual presence with us. But more than this let us pray ever so humbly that we remain with God, so that in that day the victory we profess in lifetstyles of worship might be accepted. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all!
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