“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).Out of all the chaos and speed of life, God is telling us to be still. Have you ever spoken the words, “I don’t have time to do that”? You can probably fill in the blank and write down something that you just don’t have time to do.
I like what QotQuestions.org tells us, “Christians often interpret the command to ‘be still’ as ‘to be quiet in God’s presence.’ While quietness is certainly helpful, the phrase means to stop frantic activity, to let down, and to be still.” When we rest, God is at work.
To change the world, you must first change your world.This is what Psalms 46 is speaking to us. It is saying that the first goal is to be still and know God. Then Jesus can be exalted in the nations, and after that He can be exalted in the Earth. The world begins to change first at my door. How will people know the Lord? They will know we are Jesus’ disciples because of our love.
When the Israelites were set free from the bondage of the Egyptians they travelled for a while. They began to miss the food they had become used to. Notice what the Bible records as the food of Egypt. Many complained and said, “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic,” (Numbers 11:5). The land of Egypt was toilsome work. Think about these foods: melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. Al of this food grows close to the ground. This shows us how, in Egypt, it was a work to harvest their food.
Now what was the food of the Promised Land like? Obviously, there were more food than we can count, but we are just going to study the food that the Scriptures tell us. Numbers 13:22 says, “Then they came to the valley of Eshcol and from there cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and the figs.” It was also a land flowing with, “milk and honey” (Exodus 3:17).These are all food which are free to have. Honey is made by Bees. Milk is made by the Cows. Grapes must be pulled from the vine. Pomegranates, and figs are both from trees. These are all images of rest. Someone else has done the work, we can now be still and rest.
Our Promised Land is not a place, it is a covenant of rest. To be still is the opposite of work. God wants us to rest knowing that Jesus has done a perfect work on the cross. To rest in Christ does not mean I never do volunteer, help others, or do good works. It means that I don’t work to earn God’s love, I have it. I am working because I am already loved by God. There is a purpose in being still. When my life is changed, my community can change. When the community is changed, the nation can change. When the nation is changed, the world can change!