“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.” ~ Exodus 14:13
REFERENCE:
As the year draws to a close, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by unmet expectations or anticipated needs. The prospect of carrying over a matter you have been seeking God to intervene in into the coming year can cause you to fret, but like Jesus said, “How many of you, by worrying, can add a cubit to his stature?” God is working on the matter; stand still.
When confronted with deadlines and trying events, standing still does not come easy to us. We must always do something to help our matter – meet someone, call, knock on a door, etc. As good as these may be, they can lead to more worry or frustration when we don’t see the desired results. There are certain things we cannot do by ourselves; only God can.
No matter how much Israel ran, cried, protested, or accused Moses, there was no way humanly possible to get out of their predicament. Such an attitude drives God away and blinds our eyes to what He’s doing. So, Moses gave them a strategy that works when nothing else works: “Stand Still.” Stop fretting; stop crying; stop worrying; stop complaining. Stop it and stand still!
A man in America tied many helium-filled balloons to a park bench. He thought he would gently float upward upon cutting off the rope that held the bench. He had a gun to shoot the balloons one after the other so he could also gently land. Upon cutting the rope, he shot upward with unanticipated speed. Well, things didn’t go as planned. When the police and firemen finally ‘rescued’ him, his reason for the nonsense was, “A man can’t just sit around.”
The feeling that we can’t just sit around is why we cannot trust God. I say to you today, ‘Stand still, God is working.’ The ‘Egyptians’ you see today, you shall see again no more. Be at peace, hand it over to God, and let Him worry about how to bring you out. He can deal with Pharaoh and his men, pave the way through water, and make provision in the wilderness. Just stand still.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:6-7
PRAYER:
+ I cast all my worry and anxiety upon You, Lord. I refuse to be preoccupied by what is not working but by the fact that You are working.
+ I stand still and trust You can deal with Egyptians and Red Seas.
