Be still . . . and know

"Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10a

Were you able to "be still" yesterday? The era in which we live seems to encourage us to live at a state of high alert -- a fever pitch of activity and anxiety. David was probably feeling the same way when he wrote that Psalm -- his nation was under attack by the Assyrians, and his people needed assurance that God was there for them.
It's good for us to take time each day to be still and reverently honor Him as the God of power, love and mercy.
As part of this week of praise, let's look at some of the characteristics of this awesome God.

The first characteristic that we can praise God for, is that He is our refuge. In the very Psalm that our focus verse comes from, we also read that

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in the time of trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

David was telling himself, his people, and us, that God is full of power. His power can overcome any obstacle, any calamity that may happen in our lives. A refuge is a shelter; it's protection from danger. When we seek refuge in God, we are trusting in Him to keep us safe, and to deliver us from danger and trouble. Are we seeking refuge in Him? Or are we substituting our possessions, our reputation, our abilities? Great is He, and greatly to be praised. He can be trusted to be our refuge.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." (Psalm 91:2)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

Another praise about our God is that He is our Comforter. Our Father constantly reassures us with His mighty power, His presence, and His promises in the Bible. We need to take time to thank God for the fact that He reassures us with rock solid guarantees about our security. 

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." (Psalm 40:2)

Some people will not admit that they need to be comforted; they will not admit that they need to feel secure. They are fooling themselves, and they are leaving themselves open for distress and depression. We know that God alone is the one Who is able to give us the confidence to move ahead in our lives. He is the One Who can comfort us and give us the security we need, that we are moving within His will for us. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are, or if we are fearful, or if Satan is pestering us, we can be reassured that He is here for us every moment of every day.

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

Jesus knew that we would need to be comforted. He spoke these words:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

What an awesome God we serve! We can praise Him today for his being a refuge for us, and a Comforter, too. We can face that challenges of our lives with the attitude that Abraham had:

"He staggered not through unbelief but grew strong in faith, being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform." (Rom. 4:20,21)

Be still . . .

Recently our area was the recipient of a fairly large storm which dumped a large load of ice and snow and then moved on its way. In its wake, the world was changed. Have you ever walked in the snow at night? It's an experience that you won't soon forget.
The pastures and trees (or houses and yards, depending on where you live) are draped with that amazing blanket of white which seems to absorb most sounds. The pristine white stretches before you, begging you to be the first to explore and leave your footprints on its face.
Standing in the middle of a pasture, you can look back at a cozy house, lights glowing in the windows and smoke curling gently from the chimney.
And it is so very quiet.
You don't hear any cars.
You can't hear any dogs barking.
The barn owl is silent, probably sleeping inside the barn, grateful for the shelter.
The trees and the taller grasses stand with you, making no sound.
And this verse enters your mind:
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10a
Did you know that the two words "silent" and "listen" are created with the same letters? This week I'd like to take a break from our studies in John and have a "praise week" when we refresh our memories of this verse. Let's shut out the frenzy of the world, the stress of life, all the things that clamor and shout for our attention . . .
Let's slow down and quiet down.
Let's calmly, deliberately, quietly seek that still, hushed peace that we have experienced before, but have perhaps told ourselves that we don't have time for.
I think the rewards will be greater than we realize.

Today, find some time to sit and be still. To let our minds be still. When we begin to think of things we need to do, chores to complete, goals to accomplish, re-focus on being still. Perhaps you can contemplate the blessings of the past days or week, to begin, but then try to clear your mind even of those things. Try to make your mind be as tranquil as that snowy pasture. Then have a time of prayer, and speak with our Lord. Praise Him for His goodness, and ask Him to let you know Him.

We'll continue these thoughts tomorrow.

Friday slowdown

I just looked up today
And realized how far away I am from where You are
You gave me life worth dying for
But between the altar and the door
I bought the lies that promised more
And here I go again

Lord, I know I let You down
But somehow, I will make You proud
I'll turn this sinking ship around
And make it back to You

But all my deeds and my good name
Are just dirty rags that tear and strain
To cover all my guilty stains
That You already washed away

('Cause) All You've ever wanted, all You've ever wanted
All You've ever wanted was my heart
Freedom's arms are open, my chains have all been broken
Relentless love has called me from the start
And all You wanted was my heart

I was chasing healing when I'd been made well
I was fighting battles when You conquered hell
Living free but from a prison cell
Lord, I lay it down today

So I'll stop living off of how I feel
And start standing on Your truth revealed
Jesus is my strength, my shield
And He will never fail me

No more chains, I've been set free
No more fighting battles You've won for me
Now in Christ, I stand complete.....

John 4:43-54, Pretend believers and one real one, Conclusion

⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

In concluding our study of this passage, we want to see what we can do to be more like the official (a true believer) and less like the Galileans (pretend believers).
We'll need to avoid some of the traps that messed up the Galileans, and we'll need to focus on Jesus' glory.
Let's dig in!
Even though we are not from Jesus' hometown, there are sins that made it hard for His own people to receive Him, that may be within us.
First, there is pride . . . the pride of knowing or being related to someone extraordinary. Being attached to someone special. That sense of importance that we get from that. You see, the people there could say that Jesus, this great miracle-worker, grew up in their town. So of course they want Him to do more signs and miracles, and they are excited about that possibility.  But wait a minute -- why do they really want those signs? Because the more that He does, the more the people in other towns hear about it, and the more proud they can be about their town. We can see some big egos here! These folks aren't tuned in to the humility and service that Jesus personified; they don't pay attention to the grace He offers. His power and fame are feeding their sinful pride.  Can we see this today when folks are attached to a church, a movement, a music style or performer? It's really subtle. We begin to want it to thrive and grow, not for Christ's glory, but because it feeds our own ego. Kinda hard to get into servanthood when our egos are out of control . . .

A second trap that messed up some of the townspeople was a sense of entitlement -- He is from our town, so we get the biggest miracles. The most. The special stuff. This is such a problem today. If we begin to feel entitled, or like we deserve the blessings of Christ because of US, we are falling into this trap! Kinda hard to honor Him for what He is, when we are focused on what we are . . .

Lastly, a trap that caused the Galileans difficulty was over-familiarity with Jesus. They were so full of, "He is one of us. We know His mom. We know His brothers. Why, I recall a time that He...." and so on, and so on. Then it was hard for them to believe He was what He claimed. Are we so familiar with the Bible, and with Jesus, and with our faith, that nothing we read in the Gospels seems incredible. It doesn't blow us away when He shows His power and His sovereignty.  Kinda hard to focus on Him when we are no longer amazed by His authority and power . . .

If we can avoid those traps, we can zero in and be blessed by a vision of Jesus' glory:
He was gracious; He gave the gift of healing and of life. He wasn't looking at anyone's merit or how much they deserved it. He just gave . . . oh, what grace!
We also can see the glory of His power -- He healed the boy with only a word. The child was miles away, in Capernaum. But you know, it wouldn't have mattered if the boy were somewhere in the next galaxy. When Jesus speaks, there are no limits on His power. Don't forget, it was immediate. The very moment that Jesus spoke, it happened.

Surely, seeing the grace and power of Christ should send us to our knees in thanksgiving. 

Please, Lord, if we are in or near those traps that would cause us not to honor You with true belief and faith, help us to leave them behind, and be real believers!

John 4:43-54 Pretend believers and one real one, Part II

⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

Remember on Monday when we talked about how the people of Galilee were excited about Jesus' signs and wonders, and not about His being the Savior and Messiah?
Now, enter the official.
Let's dig in!
What did you think the first time you ever read this passage? Were you expecting to hear the same thing from the official, that we heard from the people of Galilee? From his request, you might wonder about that . . . he asks Jesus to come and heal his son.
Let's read again what Jesus said:
         So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 
Ouch! But what a minute!
If we look at the original language, the word used for "you" in that verse, is not a singular but a plural. He is not addressing the official only, but all of the people.  All of those people in His home area. He is saying . . . you are sign-seekers. You are worshiping the wonders, and not the Wonderful. You are telling Me that you believe in Me, but your belief is not real belief that honors Me, or places your faith in Me. You are not ready to treasure Me as the Son of God, full of glory. And that kind of faith, that excitement only in what I can do for you, actually disrespects and dishonors Me, and my Father.

So, now what about this official? Is he included in that crowd of folks who "believed" but didn't believe?  Was he like the rest, and seeking the signs, instead of the Savior?
Was Jesus testing him?
Perhaps.
He did not, after all, come saying, "I am sinful. Forgive me. Help me live for You." No, he said, "I have a need. Fix it."
Whether he was being tested or not, he comes through with flying colors. He doesn't even respond to Jesus' rebuff. Doesn't get mad, doesn't get huffy, doesn't pout.
He simply repeats the request.
Jesus doesn't comment (aloud) on his sincerity, and neither does John, as he writes. But what a gift is given to this official!
"Go, your son will live."
I get misty eyed reading that. The Creator of the universe has spoken, and we know in our hearts that it will be as He has spoken.
And this remarkable official, who had asked Jesus to come with him, doesn't stop to question -- he turns on his heel and walks home. He believed, and he went. He didn't insist on proof. He didn't complain that Christ wasn't coming with him. John says he left -- believing. Something had awakened in him, something that we call faith. He saw more than a sign-maker in Jesus; he saw a Savior sent from God.
The next verses confirm for us that his son was healed at the very hour that Jesus spoke. Look at 51-53 . . . the father knew that was the hour that Jesus had told him his son would live. His faith was encouraged and rewarded, and his household believed on Jesus, too.

Did you wonder why John wrote in verses 46 and 49 that this man was an official? The word he used is translated "royal one." It also means "connected to the king." The king that ruled over Galilee was Herod Antipas, a truly wicked man who had married his brother's wife and would later put John the Baptist to death. John is connecting the official with the court, perhaps to say that he is more like the Samaritans who believed in Jesus, than the Galileans who did not. That in the midst of a boatload of pretend believers, here was a real one.

So what, as Paul Harvey would say, is the "rest of the story? What is John trying to accomplish with this writing? We've said before that he wrote so that we would "get it." So we would see the glory of Christ. Tomorrow we'll conclude by looking at the kinds of things that keep people from honoring Christ, as the official did. What keeps them in the category of pretend believers, instead of hopping over into the category of real believers, like the official in our passage.

A little different - Favorite hymns

We often pause on Tuesdays to pray together, and rejoice over answered prayers.

Sometimes we share verses that have blessed our hearts in the past week or so.

Today I'd like to open this post for all to leave a comment and tell us:

What is your favorite hymn or praise song?

If you are like me, the answer to that question probably changes every week, or even every day! But let's take a moment to share our favorites.

speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:19)

John 4:43-54 Pretend believers, and one real one, Part I

⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

This is such a powerful passage. We've just completed our study of the earlier verses and learned so much; God has revealed more of Himself and of us, in this next passage. 
Let's dig in!
Verse 43 tells us about some logistics. We know that Jesus has just spent two days in Samaria, and the time there was truly successful. It seems that the whole town where He was ministering was turning to Him as the Messiah and the Savior. These people have not focused on His miracle-working powers, but on His word. (Remember that. I'm not going to give you a quiz, but it's important.)
The people there were saying, "We have heard Him for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42) You know, that is a much better, more heartfelt response than anything He'd gotten from His own people, the Jews. 
Anyway, back to logistics. He's leaving now for Galilee. This is where Jesus grew up, in the town of Nazareth. If we were to look over Simon or Andrew's shoulder at the map, we'd see about ten miles north of Nazareth was Cana (remember He turned the water into wine?) and then about fifteen miles east of Cana was Capernaum. That will come in handy to know, later on.
To make the long story short, Jesus was leaving Samaria for His homeland. Going back to His old "stomping grounds" as we say.

Verse 44 begins with the word "for." That means it is going to tell us the "because" that explains verse 43. So, after the two days He departed for Galilee, "for Jesus Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown." It seems that John wants to emphasize to us that Jesus is coming "home" to His own people, knowing full well that they will not understand Him, nor honor Him.
This is not really new, right? Remember in John 1:11? John, the beloved disciple, told us that "He came to His own and his own people did not receive Him." It's not new, but it still seems strange to us, because we are humans. As Isaiah 55:9 reveals, "my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
But we have to believe that this is part of Jesus' plan, from the beginning. He intends to keep offering Himself to His own. He knows they will not receive Him. He knows that in the end, it will result in His death. But that is why He came.
Next we see the pretend believers, that I mentioned in the title: in verse 45, John says, "So therefore, when He came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him." 
Whoa.
I thought we just said they wouldn't honor Him? That's right.
The welcome, and the reception, is not what it seems on the outside. If we look at the roots of the words used, it is a kind of receiving that contains no true honor for His person. Look closely: they are just interested in His signs and wonders.
Oy. We've seen this before . . . remember in John 2:23-25?

          Now when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing. But Jesus on His part did not entrust Himself to them because He knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

If you remember, John told us that this was not a kind of faith that Jesus accepted. These were people who were excited about His miracles. They were jumping up and down and pointing and oohing and ahhing . . . but they didn't believe in His glory as the Son of God, the Messiah.  
Strange that in contrast, the ones they hated, the Samaritans, saw that glory and believed on Him.
You know, even His own brothers did not believe on Him. If we hop over and look at John 7:3-5, we see:
So his brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." For not even his brothers believed in Him.

Sure, they believed that He could do miracles. And they were eager to have Him show these miracles to the world. They may have had ulterior motives, for John notes that they talked like that because they did not believe on Him. 
So He comes to His own, even His own brothers, and they do not receive Him. They don't believe on Him. Some of them may think that they are receiving Him. They may think that they are believers. But they don't understand. They don't have eyes to see.
So they don't honor Him. They make a fuss over Him and His miracles. But they don't "get it."

Hang on -- someone is stepping on the scene that is a true believer. We'll talk about him next time.