Be Still

"Be still and know that I am God."

Being still and remembering how God has broken into our lives is what we did this past thursday. We continued with the thought process of "what is the story". Remembering is a crucial part of our walk with God. All through out the Old testament, God tells His people to "remember". He tells them to tell their children about the great works of God.

Often times we feel as though we haven't tasted God, or that God has been silent to us. In Gen 28:16 Jacob has just woken from a God induced dream. When Jacob wakes up he says "Surely God has been here the whole time, and I did not notice!" In the story of Moses, in Exodus, there is a story where there is a bush that is on fire but not being consumed. Out of this bush the voice of God speaks to Moses. It says take off your shoes, your standing on holy ground. How many times had Moses past that bush with out realizing that it was holy ground? How often had he been in that same place and not realized that he could taste God there. Acts 14:17 Paul is traveling and comes to a city. When he is telling this city about God he starts by telling the people how God has been active in their lives. He basically says, you know the rain that waters your crops? You know the crops you eat and celebrate with? You know the joy that is in your heart when you taste these foods, and celebrate? Thats my God. God desires to be tasted and experienced, and God wants us to remember when we do taste Him. God continually breaks into our time line to meet with us where we are at. God even wants us to tell others about it.

In our culture we get so busy that we don't give ourselves enough time to reflect, sit still, be still. In Exodus 14:1 the Israelites are fleeing Egypt after God just performed one after another miracle/plague. The Egyptians start to pursue the Israelites as they are fleeing the land, and the Israelites get scared. They start yelling at moses, "DID YOU BRING US OUT HERE TO DIE! Would it not have been better to have stayed and been slaves.?!?!"(I added ? and !) God then speaks and says "I will fight for you, you just need to be still."
The psalmist who wrote Psalm 46 seems to have been directly referring to this story of the Israelites history when he wrote it. The psalm speaks of not fearing when the earth changes, and the mountains shake in the heart of the sea, and of roaring waters. But at the end of the Psalm it reads;

"'Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.'
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge."

On Thursday night, we sought to be still and know that God is God. A few people shared ways in which they have tasted God, and different things on their hearts.

If you have any thoughts on the other night feel free to share them. Or if you weren't able to attend the other night and have any thoughts please share them as well.

I pray that we are all able to see that we are standing on Holy ground, and that we would be more aware of the surpassing greatness and awe of God that is all around us, all the time!!

Grace and Peace,

Chris