Be still…

Thirteenth Day of Advent

Psalm 46:10-11 (ESV)

10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

The current culture has conditioned us to think and believe that waiting or being still is unproductive. There is an immense demand to always be on task and shortening the “to-do list”. We feel this tension in restaurants, traffic jams, and grocery stores. To a degree, we all “hate to wait”. We have come to believe that waiting is a waste of time.

Scripture teaches that waiting is not wasting when we are still (waiting) before the Lord. Why? When we are still and quiet before the Lord, we begin to discover and understand more about Him. We become aware of His Deity and Authority. The scope of His Rule and His Reign becomes clearer and larger. Finally, we are convinced of His Goodness (He is near and present) and His Strength (we are safe and secure). “Be still, and …”

Scott Lane

Re: Verse reading – John 3:1-21

Opportunities

Re: Verse reading–Isaiah 6:1-8; Revelation 4:1-11 (Day Five)
What is it about God that compels or “draws” you into worship?  As we read the Re: Verse  passages this week we see several possibilities:  His Holiness, His Purity, His Sovereignty, His Beauty, His Kindness, His Graciousness, His Generosity, His Strength.  William Temple says worship is to “quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”  Opportunities are available because the scripture says that God “seeks” worshipers (John 4).  Personal Worship, Corporate Worship, and Small Group Worship all present moments and experiences to see and hear from the Lord.  Worship begins with a holy anticipation and ends in holy obedience (becoming more like Christ)- the point and goal of each spiritual discipline we’ve studied this summer.