Be Silent

 My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.  Psalm 62:5.  

Have you noticed how many people avoid being silent, constantly being on their cell phones,  having to have some music playing, watching something on Tik-tok, checking Facebook or other social media, or having to be entertained by trivial programs with no redeeming value?  Something has to be blaring all the time.  Some can’t even eat a meal without the television being on.  People have difficulty shutting off the distractions and just being silent.

This consuming wandering in the wilderness takes up their time and steals the opportunity to focus on reality, time to appreciate the beauty or glory of nature, or even to consider the ultimate meaning and purpose of life.  Psalm 46 calls out, “Be still and know that I am God.”

In the parable of the wedding feast, the majority of those invited had worldly excuses rather than accepting the invitation to come to the master’s banquet.  Psalm 65:4 declares “How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts.”  Jesus reminds us that we did not choose Him, He chose us. He desires us to be with Him, even to be where He is (John 17:24) to share His glory forever.

Jesus invites us to “Come to Me” and “learn from Me” rather than carry our heavy burdens alone. Yet the average person spends far greater time and effort on mundane pursuits than on living by or reflecting on eternal purpose, even though our choices in this lifetime on earth establishes our position forever.  Nothing of eternal significance happens “unless the Lord builds the house.”  Likewise, the disciples and the 120 in the upper room were told to wait until they were clothed with power from on high before they were to go. Wait in silence for God to fill the cup.

Jesus called the man a fool, who built bigger barns for his abundant crop but was not rich toward God.  He also instructs us to lay up our treasures in heaven and promises rewards for simple things like giving a child a cup of water.  God has, according to Ephesians 2:10, prepared good works beforehand  “that we should walk in them.”  There is work to do in which God has given and desires to partner (take My yoke)  with us to do. Romans 8 says those led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  We can do nothing of value unless we take time to come to Him and wait on Him to direct us.

In returning and rest shall you be saved (be made whole), in quietness and confidence shall be your strength. Isaiah 30:15.  He leads me by still waters, He restores my soul. Psalm 23:3  Amazing transformation and equipping happens as we are with the Lord.  

As Ecclesiastes 5 instructs, when you come to God let your words be few.  Practice being silent before Him.  Close the door on distractions, quietly wait and enjoy being with Him.

God Is?

Have you ever walked into a room, or a gathering such as a wedding or party, and nobody even acknowledged your existence?  What if you gave everything you had for someone, maybe your children, or your grandchildren, and they didn't even take time to respond?  Can you imagine how God feels, after creating for us this awesome infinitely designed universe, making a perfect planet for man to thrive, literally breathing His life in us, and finally after man sins, becoming a man and laying down His life for us, then only to be completely ignored and unappreciated?

On the other hand, have you noticed how Genesis, the Lord's prayer, and David's Psalm 23 all start by declaring God is: "In the beginning God,"  "Our Father who art," and "The Lord is."  Clearly the starting point of life and true prayer is recognizing God as God.   David seals the argument with two different psalms, 14 and 53, that declare "A fool says there is no God."

Then to bring this point into focus, Hebrews 11:6, states "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  It always seems so simple and unnecessary to state as a "must believe" that He is.  However, if you remember Satan's temptation to Eve and Adam was that they would become like God.  Fallen man thinks he is God.  It follows that the only way to deny our carnal nature is to humble ourselves by declaring God is God, "not we ourselves" as Psalm 100:3 repeats.

Until we acknowledge our pride and sin, come to God as our creator and one who loves us enough to die for us, we fail to recognize our true condition.  All creation shows His handiwork, but accepting the message of the cross reveals the heart of His infinite love.  He is who He reveals He is.  Creator, Savior, Father, Shepherd, and Merciful Lover.  Then we can receive Jesus and the "It is Finished" plan to deliver us from our sin, our faulty thinking, and sin's consequences, making us new creations that please Him forever. 

All life comes from God, is created for His pleasure, and certainly will return to God.  There is a day coming that no man can escape when each one of us will stand before the living God.  Books will be opened and ever thought, word, and deed will be reviewed.  Nothing is more important for eternity than the outcome of that moment. May we all come to the place and attitude when we acknowledge God is, and receive the incredible, wonderful reward of receiving what Jesus has done.  When we do this simple step, God is pleased forever. 

In every situation, good or bad, stop and declare " God is..."

A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own opinions.

  Guilty! The court of public opinion has spoken.  Whether it is President Trump, Alabama for passing a law to end abortion of babies, or New York for allowing babies to die on the birth table, multitudes of vociferous tweets and chats fill the Internet.  We clearly are in a day where people delight in expressing their own opinions (Proverbs 18:2).  It seems impossible to not be affected by this tsunami of public comment.

What can a person who wants to be informed and yet not negatively influenced do?  Some people have chosen to avoid social media altogether to prevent the complaining and criticizing from poluting their minds.  Others try to either ignore those sites which with they disagree and only subscribe to like-minded people.  Even more difficult to handle, Proverbs 26:4-5 states that if you answer a fool you become like him, and if you don't answer he thinks he is wise in his own eyes (he thinks he won!).  There is seemingly no way out unless you live in a world where you are able to avoid fools!

There is a famous saying in Jeremiah 12:5 that declares if you get weary with the footmen what are you going to do with those on horses?  Consider standing in the ocean, you can walk easily in the shallow water on a calm day, but you really have to brace yourself to not fall in the waves of a hurricane.  The Word suggests the hurricane of thoughts and opinions is coming.

Get ready.  Since clearly the battleground is in the mind, and the way to win the spiritual battle is to take every thought captive, there is only one solution,  Know the truth.  Jesus declared the Word of God is truth.  The more the world pounds on us with their foolish opinions, the greater the need to be able to evaluate every thought with God's truth.  What you sow is what you reap.  Take as much time and enjoyment in understanding the Word as you do what others say in social media.  Delight in understanding by asking the Holy Spirit to open up the truth of the Word so you see clearly.  God is up for the fight, the only question is will you let Him renew your thinking?   As a man thinks, so is he.