Community Devotions

Be Still And Know

SCRIPTURE

“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” - Psalm 46:10

OBSERVATION

To be still before God is to “come and behold the works of the LORD” (v.8). The context of Psalm 46 is not beholding his works in my personal life but his work as the God of the earth ruling over the nations. Being still is to take refuge and strength in God in times of trouble and contemplate on His sovereignty in the affairs of nations. When we are still and know God as he is we come to the truth that He alone will be exalted among the nations and in the earth.

APPLICATION

With all the unrest that is going on in the world I need to be still and know God. No matter the volatility in the Middle East and Russia or the turbulent danger from North Korea God will be exalted among the nations. Think of the world super powers that have come and gone, the empires that have risen and fallen—yet the kingdom of God still reigns, rules and is advancing. Even as powerful and mighty as America is, it’s still not even 500 years old and there’s no guarantee it’ll make it that long. No matter what happens in the world—“though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam,” God reigns!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Please help me to be still. Help me know from my head to my heart that you are God reigning over the nations. You see every act of injustice, hear every cry of oppression and are moved by every tear of suffering in the world. Continue to let your kingdom come and your will be done. Maranatha!

Missionary God

Scripture

And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds. Exodus 12:37

Observation

How many times do I quickly breeze through the bible and gloss over passages like these? Pharaoh finally relents to God’s command through Moses to “let my people go”. As the people journeyed from Rameses to Succoth (a “block, shut off, stop the approach) before the Exodus, we notice the six hundred thousand men on foot not including women and children. "A mixed multitude also went up with them…” Did you catch that? NIV states that “many other people went up with them.” NLT says it was “a rabble of non-Israelites went with them.” God saved some pagan Egyptians, sojourners and other foreigners to bring them to the Promised Land. Yahweh even commanded Moses and Aaron to make provisions in the instruction of the Passover to include foreigners (12:48-49). 

Application

The fallacy of an unloving and angry God in the Old Testament killing babies, destroying pagans and judging nations still runs strong. Yet here in the second book of the bible as the people of God are on the precipice of a mass exodus to freedom and prosperity to the Promised Land, our Heavenly Father is a missionary God. He sends the people of God to be His missionary to save many non-Israelites. Point of obedience: 

 - Praise and worship my unchanging, eternally-loving, compassionate God. He does not change. His love and inclusivity of sojourners and foreigners don’t change.

 - Deeply consider the political ramifications of following and obeying my missionary God: Let biblical convictions shape my political beliefs, not the other way around.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for your unconditional love. Thank you that you would leave the 99 sheep in the fold to seek and save that one lost sheep. May your love change me to be more like you. If there is any area of prejudice and exclusivity, I confess and repent. Make me be more like you. In Jesus name. Amen!