Exodus 14:14 NIV
“The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.”
Exodus 14:14 KJV
“The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
Commentary on this verse says, to “hold your peace,” means to “do nothing, remain at rest.” In Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, it means, “to be still and quiet-easy in your minds.”
Sometimes I feel like life requires a lot from us. Our jobs, our families, our ministries, our communities, our responsibilities in the day to day…Sometimes it feels like we are pulled in ten different directions. And that can be stressful and overwhelming. Right?
I read a quote recently that says, “We mostly spend our lives conjugating three verbs: to want, to have, to do. Craving, clutching and fussing, we are kept in perpetual unrest.” (author unknown)
When I read this quote, I think I said to myself, “Pretty much.” Pretty much how I live my life. “Perpetual unrest.” Oh, and the, “craving, clutching and fussing” part. This wanting things that I don’t have, holding with a tight fist that which I do have, and running myself ragged trying to always take care of everything and everybody. I’m shaking my head as I type this. I have much to learn my friends. But the comforting thing is-I KNOW I’m not alone in this.
God doesn’t require our doing. He doesn’t require our fussing and striving. I love that we get to come to Him and receive. Because all that He really requires is an open and willing heart. (I’m reminded of the scripture about a “broken and contrite spirit.” Sometimes things have to break in order to become opened….)
The fact that the God of the universe-who spoke this earth into existence, breathed life into everything and everyone in it-is waiting…waiting for me to come to Him so that He can pour into me…well that is a bit baffling. But that-THAT is the beauty and the mystery isn’t it? The love of God that longs to give us the much needed grace upon grace…unending mercy…strength for each day…and that deep down soul rest. It’s a love freely given. And yet, I still find myself trying to earn it.
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”
I love The Message translation-“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
God doesn’t “need” us or anything we bring to the table. He’s God. BUT He wants us and He-and only He has the ability to give us what our souls are so desperately craving. We spend a lot of time doing. Maybe we can learn to spend more time being.