Monthly Article

“Being Still in a Ever Moving World!”
By-Rev. Edward Smith
Director of Evangelism and Missions

We are a society living on edge of endless stress and anxiety. We down energy drinks like water, drink vitamin enriched water like it is soda, run from place to place, face new challenges and problems every day, average less than 8 hours sleep and even with B-12 shots we wonder why we are so tired all the time!

As a husband, a father, a minister or you as a chaplain or wife or mother, we have been told all our lives that to be productive we must be on the go and then on the go again so that we are always a go-go-go-go, Right!

I read a story that compared our bodies to cars. Just regular, everyday cars that are designed to operate best at 4,000 rpm’s with a steady dose of maintenance and oil changes. But we drive our bodies like NASCAR racecars at 10,000 rpm’s without so much as a pit stop and we wonder why all the red lights are lighting up on our dashboards. This relentless pace and hectic pace will result in blown engine and tremendous damage to our car body. Does this sound like me, or you?

Where does the still, small voice of God fit into our crazy and fast paced lives? We do we allow God to lead us, guide us, affirm us or refresh and refocus us?
If busyness is the devil’s tool, then he has a whole toolbox he is using to keep us from being still and quite with God.

On the Global Day of Prayer I shared the following devotion with the people we were able to call and I want to share it with you. This is one place that we can look at how important it is to be still with God.

In Exodus 14 we find that the Israelites have left the Pharaoh. The Lord tells Moses (this is important, the Lord tells Moses something to do) to have the tribes encamp between Migdol and the sea. Further the Lord tells Moses that He is going to harden the heart of Pharaoh and the glory of God will shine and be revealed through the Pharaoh and his army. (I don’t know about you, but God just told you that He is going to send danger to the very place that He sent you to camp- I would be thinking- “wait a minute God shouldn’t I be safe where you are sending me?)

In verse 6 the Pharaoh sets out with 600 of his best chariots, horses and horsemen. But most people miss the other part in the verse, it says that in addition to that every chariot that can move in Egypt is sent on this mission to bring back the Israelites into captivity again!

Verse 9 & 10 shows two points of view- the chariots of Pharaoh are excited because they see that the Israelites are pinned down with their backs to the sea. The Israelites see the approaching might of the Pharaoh’s army and they see they have no escape route.

So in verse 11 they do what we all do at some point of our lives- they take their eyes off of God. They grow afraid. They get angry at Moses- you told us to camp here. They grow angry at God- you are our God why would you allow the army to come get us. It would be better to be a living slave in Egypt than a dead freeman here in the desert at the waters edge.

How many times in our lives to we feel the same way? God you told me to come to this place to be a minister? God if you sent me here to this track to be a chaplain, then why does it seem I am always struggling? There are not enough resources, council members, volunteers, no one responds to the ministry- why have you brought me here to fail?

The Pharaoh’s horsemen and chariots can represent many things are different situations that you have experienced in life. Problems with the chaplaincy, in marriage, in your family, in your health and finances, they seem to be riding over the desert hills and your back is against the sea with no escape route in sight. God seems distant and far away.

But verse 13 has a powerful solution! Moses answers the people and basically says- “Be still” or “Be Firm”. The Lord is going to fight the battle for you. You cannot overcome your problems, but God can and will do it for you.

We know the rest of the story. The Whirlwind comes around and gets between the Israelites and the horsemen- it blinds the Egyptians and gives light to the Israelites. Moses stretches out his staff under command of God and the seas are parted and through the canyon wall of water the people walk over dry land and are delivered safely to the other side.

God continues the battle and utterly drowns and destroys all the horsemen and chariots that the Pharaoh had sent against them. There is no doubt from beginning to end that only the power of God could have delivered such an incredible solution to what looked like disaster.

“Sing to the Lord-
For He is highly exalted-
The horse and its rider-
He has hurled into the sea!”

So what is the point of this devotion?
I am saying to “Be Still and Stand Firm”.
God is in control!
God’s plans are good and in faith you have to stay the course!
Be still so you can hear the voice of God speak to you as He did to Moses.
Just know that no matter what size the army of darkness sends against you, no matter how many chariots are being sent to send you back into captivity, just be still and stand firm and put your faith and trust into the Lord.

Psalm 46:10- “Be still and know that God is God!”

Now put the Red Bull down! Step away from the Internet, turn off the cell phone and slow your life down. Give God your quality time for prayer, and seek His face and listen to His voice. He loves you and He has wonderful and awesome plans for you.