Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Happy Tuesday! Today was a lovely break from the oppressive heat we have had in the last weeks. I have been watering my plants daily and today I did not need to water. Geni and Travis made a quick run to Howe, where my Mom and Dad live, to pick up a wood smoker. It is one of my summer projects to learn to smoke meat in a wood burning smoker. I am even taking a five lesson online class to get some instruction. If any of you are meat smokers please feel free to contact me and give me any advice you have.

Matthew 13:44 “And Moses said…Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show you today.”

Moses spoke these words to the nation of Israel with the Red Sea in front of them and the army of Egypt bearing down upon them from the rear. If you watch the wonderful old Cecile B. DeMille’s, The Ten Commandments, (one of my favorites!) the nation of Israel went into a complete panic. Then the voice of Satan struck extra fear into their hearts (as if they needed another voice) by telling them to go back into the land which had held them captive in slavery for the last 400 years. Then the voice of Moses rang out stronger than the hysteria going on about him and spoke these words: ”Fear not! Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord…” Moses was God’s voice crying in the wilderness as he led the Hebrew nation to the Promised Land. Moses was empowered by God. God’s work was accomplished through the surrendered heart of Moses and his willingness to be obedient even when the nation of Israel was being coaxed to turn back to their old ways of slavery.

“Fear not!” “Stand still.” Have you ever been faced with a situation and there seem to be too many problems to solve and they all seem to hold equal importance? Bruce calls it “working on overload.” Can you imagine how Jesus felt when everyone followed Him everywhere? When the crowds thronged around Him to the point of suffocation? When the demands made on Jesus were seemingly non-stop? How did Jesus manage the “overload” or constant stress on the demands of His time, His abilities, and the presence of Satan in the Pharisees who were hanging around to catch Him breaking the Jewish laws? Jesus remembered the words of His Father, the words of the Old Testament scriptures, “Fear not! Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show you today”.

As a wife, mother, teacher and seminary student, multitasking for me is a way of life. I am sure you are no different. It is sort of like being in the wilderness and you do not know which way to go. When the demands seem to outweigh the supply of our energies, our ideas and our means then it is time to stop. It is time to stand still and seek God. It is time to be quiet, center ourselves and stand in the peaceful presence of our heavenly Father. It is time to ask Him to bathe us in calmness. It is time to stand still and be soaked in His grace. It is time to seek out God, take Satan out of the picture and stand in the light of God’s presence. Satan cannot live in the presence of the love of God.

God is not a God of confusion and unclear thinking. Our God loves us so much and knows us so well that He will meet us in the midst of our confusion and bring us into His own light and clarity where we will find the answers we seek and the direction we are meant to walk. God promises in this verse that He will show us His salvation. Trust in God’s Word, stand still and be at peace.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

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