Plug In To Him

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

~Exodus 14:14

……

The Lord will fight for ME…little ‘ole me. And He will fight for YOU!  It’s right there…in the Old Testament. Years ago, I would have thought that the Old Testament couldn’t possibly have anything in it relevant to my life. I’m quickly learning the opposite is true. God’s Word is timeless. His Truth in Exodus has lots of life applications for us today. You know that whole wondering in the wilderness thing?  Yep, I can totally relate. You know the grumbling part (over and over again) by the Israelites?  Yep, this struggle is real for me, too. We live in a world of instant gratification and a sense of always wanting and needing more.  Lord, help us to be different. 

What comes to mind when you read about the Lord fighting for you?  The first thing I visualize is a battle from the Old Testament.  God and His army of angels are suited in armor and ready for war…war to protect me. Now that’s a powerful image. I am worth everything to Him. He loves me SO much that He is calling His troops in to protect me from evil.  Other times I feel the battle is quiet, a silent battle of sorts, where God is working behind the scenes to fight for me. This to me is an even more powerful image. And He is doing the same for YOU, too. Now that’s something to be thankful for!!  

Our battles, yours and mine, are most likely very different, but God is present at each and every one of them. Naming your own personal battles is the first step to healing. What giants are you facing?  What battle is ongoing in your life?  Anxiety is continually present on my battlefield, but it no longer has a continual grip on my life. Does it try to suffocate me and literally consume me???  All the time, but it no longer DEFINES me. For I know (even though my brain forgets) that this battle has already been won. Thank you, Lord, that heaven doesn’t know anxiety. It will be no more. What struggle are you facing that you need to hand over to God and allow Him to take over?

Now what about the second part of this verse?  In order for God’s fighting to be effective, I need to be STILL!!!  Ummm, I don’t know about you, but this one is hard. Really, really hard. For those who know me, I typically am going nonstop. But what others may not see, is that there are days when I do rest.  This means I get my kids off to school and hunker in for a Hulu-watching marathon. I don’t face the laundry, I don’t face responsibilities, and I certainly don’t react well if my husband works from home on these days. I mean, who wants to feel guilty during their “me” time?

But can I let you in on a little secret?  These days are often when my anxiety creeps up on me. I am alone with my thoughts. I don’t have “things” to do or work to perform to keep me distracted. I am filling this time with just that…me…and not necessarily God. Where is my “God” time?  I’m learning more and more that being still not only means just unplugging from the world. No, it also means we must plug in to HIM. As I write these words this is really resonating with me. I NEED to truly know this. Being still doesn’t mean we are to only unplug from the world, but rather we are to step away from the world AND step into Him. Hulu does not qualify as being spiritually still. I am finding that being still in God’s eyes means devoting time in relationship with Him. He is calling us to be still IN Him through scripture, prayer, and meditation. How can we know Him if we don’t have a relationship with Him?  Knowing about him is not enough. 

……

“Be still and know that I am God.”

~Psalm 46:10

……

So this Thanksgiving holiday, I want to encourage you to be still in Him and enjoy time with loved ones. I don’t know about you, but these commercials with “Black Friday” deals starting ON Thanksgiving Day make me sad. Not because shopping for great deals can’t be a fun family tradition, but because it is encroaching on a day created for time to unplug from the world, just be together, and be thankful to God for all of His many blessings, no matter our circumstances.  

For those who are spending time with family and friends, for those who are experiencing pain knowing there will be an empty chair at the table, for those who are lost and lonely, you are always welcome at this table. Thank you for coming to the Table and experiencing life with Him in community. We are blessed by His promises, and today I am thankful He continues to fight for us all. 

In Him,

Ashley 

“This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

~Psalm 118:24