7-15-2016

Good Morning All!!           

           Psalm 37: 7a; “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;”

    So as we were traveling with a busload of high schoolers to the latest national youth gathering; the ride, at times, was eventful.  We had one bus in our caravan break down.  We waited a little while but eventually two busses went on to the appointed stop and one stayed back.  This changed the time schedule and everyone wanted to know what was going on.  A good question, since decisions were not made yet.  Questions soon became demands and patience became a rarer commodity.

    It seems that much of our life lacks patience; partly because we aren’t still before the Lord.  We go around with an iPod or iPad maybe a cell phone, maybe with the TV on or maybe the computer going or both.  Each of these compete for our attention; each of these trying to be king and ruler of our life.  When we let them be king in our life, we lose patience and we lose sight of God.

    God comes to us every day but it usually is in a small, quiet whisper rather than a large gong.  In order to hear that small, quiet whisper, all the distractions must be gone.  In our hurry up world that can be tough but the more you hurry up the more we need to take time and be still before the Lord.  We need to take time to listen to what God says to us.

    God speaks to us through the Bible; this is where he reveals himself to us.  We need to be still, be quiet and listen to the small, quiet voice.  God comes to us with words of tenderness and love inviting us back to him away from the noise and the impatience of the world.

    This is really a very gentle invitation to rest in God’s grace and favor.  Be still; just take a moment to catch your breath.  Wait patiently for the Lord.  We know that God keeps his promises in his own time.  We only have to wait for his grace and mercy.  We wait with the total confidence that God will act.  God has always kept his promises and he always will.  He has promised to hear our prayers and to answer them.  But we must be in conversation with God and a large part of a good conversation involves us listening to God speaking to us through the Bible.  We must be still to really hear him.

    How many times have you tried to have a conversation with someone when it was clear that they weren’t listening?  That is one of the most frustrating things we can ever do.  Yet, how many times do we do that to God?  We often “Tell” God what we what, how we want it, when we want it, and don’t be late.  We don’t like the verses that talk about getting our gifts in “due season” or how he provides for “all our needs”.  We have our “wants” and it better be due soon.  So we miss out on some of God’s greatest blessings; the blessing of peace.  Be still; listen quietly to our Lord.  Spend time reading the Bible and hear what the Bible has to say about you. 

 Gracious Lord, we have too much noise in our life and it wears us down.  Give us peace to be still and to listen to you and to wait for you.  Give us confidence to trust in your grace living in your tender mercy and care.  In your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret