9 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Isaiah 25:1–28:13
Galatians 3:10-22
Psalm 61:1-8
Proverbs 23:17-18
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
Reflections from Scripture:
In December 2004, I did something stupid. I mean, really stupid!
I took my wife and two sons to visit family and friends in central Kentucky a week before Christmas. As we prepared to make the 200-mile trip back home to Princeton, Kentucky, my wife and I were hearing of a major winter storm that was blasting western Kentucky. The sub-freezing temperatures made large amounts of snow and ice stick to the roads.
But, I was a man on a mission, and I was going to get my family back home. The first hundred or so miles were a breeze. The roads were clear, and the driving was uneventful. However, snow and ice were collecting on the desolate Western Kentucky Parkway as we reached the halfway point. I kept driving.
Eventually, the Parkway was covered entirely. The only hint that there was a road under the snow and ice were the tracks made by previous drivers. Everything was bleached white. The packed snow on the road was also beginning to scrape the undercarriage of our car. I couldn’t help but notice the growing number of lonely vehicles that had slid off the Parkway and were resting on the shoulders. I kept driving.
Kim was asking (begging) for me to stop at a hotel. She felt the danger. She knew that if we slid off the road, we could get seriously hurt. Besides, the Western Kentucky Parkway is very desolate in spots, and it would be a long time before someone could come to our rescue. If our gas ran out, we would have no heat source, and we could literally freeze to death. I foolishly kept driving.
Truth be told, my wife was nervous because she saw a situation beyond her husband’s abilities to manage. Even though I tried not to show it, I was worried too because I knew that we were only a moment away from danger, every inch of the way home.
But our two toddlers in the back seat weren’t the least bit fearful. They played together. They slept. I think they even argued a time or two. They weren’t bothered at all by the danger that lurked outside their windows. They weren’t fearful that their dad wasn’t taking their mom’s wise advice.
Why weren’t they scared? Because they trusted me. They believed that daddy had things under control. And since they trusted in me, they were able to rest. They didn’t get upset or uptight. They were at peace.
Isaiah 26:3 (NLT): “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
If we are anxious about life and are not experiencing peace, it is probably a trust problem. If we genuinely believed that the Lord is in control and that He has promised to work everything (yes, even the bad things) for our ultimate good, then we wouldn’t get so uptight.
So trust the Lord more. Keep your thoughts on Him. Speak to Him in prayer and listen to Him as you read your Bible. Invite Him into the moments of your days. Know that whatever you are going through, He’s got it. Trust Him!
How will you know if you are truly trusting the Lord, especially when life gets hard?
Are you in perfect peace? That’s how you’ll know.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er.
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, when I step back and objectively look at my life, I am sometimes disappointed in my inconsistencies. Regarding the issue of trust, I have placed my faith in You to take care of my eternity, but I often struggle to put faith in You to take care of my “todays.” Please forgive me. In Your grace, please give me a greater ability to trust in You, to rest in You, even as the storms of life rage around me. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Matt’s Musings 