Psalm 46:10a - Quiet

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

Sometimes the best way to communicate with God is to just be quiet.

Lord, Thank you for being GOD. Please help us to be still and quiet. Amen

Psalm 95:7-8 - Hear his voice

Today, if only you would hear his voice,
     “Do not harden your hearts

I believe hearing God is essential. Before you even begin your walk with God, he will draw you to him, if you will only listen with your heart. While you are on our spiritual journey, he continues to guide you, you just have to open his word and your mind. As a Christian, you are instructed by his word and through the meditation of your heart-being still and hearing his voice.

Lord, thank you for speaking to us. Please help us to hear your voice. Amen

Psalm 46:10 - Exalted above politics

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
     I will be exalted among the nations,
     I will be exalted in the earth.”

I know some people have very strong political views. It is a great privilege for us to get to take a part in our political system, but we have to remember God is in control. He is over all. No one political figure or even political party exudes more power than God. Verse 8 says, "Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, and the earth melts." I think it is good for us to care who governs our nation and participate in the political process, but don't allow our passions to cause us to sin or be angry. On the eternal scale of things, our politics are nothing.

Lord, thank you for being in control. Please help us to put our politics in proper perspective, Amen.

Psalm 37:7-8 - Do not fret

Be still before the Lord

     and wait patiently for him;

 do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

     when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

     do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Fret is an interesting word. It means to be constantly or visibly worried or anxious. This passage gives us why we might fret, the solution for fretting and the result. Anger and jealousy are two big reasons we fret. These may be the examined root cause of our worries, We can avoid fretting by being still before the Lord and waiting patiently for him. If we do chose to fret, the result will lead to evil and destruction (v. 9).

Lord, thank you for giving us a solution for our fretting. Please help us to be still, wait patiently and keep us from evil. Amen,

PS-Thanks Kathy Reppart Hameister for sharing about your mom's take on this verse. I think I would have passed right over the word fret.

Exodus 14:13-14 - Be still...

 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Be still. This is good advice in most problematic situations in life, big or small. My first reaction to problems, especially small ones is to jump in and solve them, even if they are not my problem to solve. During the big problems,we often let our fight or flight instinct take over. We either react too quickly and usually not correctly or we run away and avoid the problem. If we are just still and we allow him to, God will take care of things for us. If we think and breathe before we react, we are likely to make a better decision. He will show us what we need to do and that may be nothing.

Lord, thank you for being there for us and fighting for us. Please help us to be still and allow you to take care of problems for us. Amen.