Another week has gone by and we now live in a state of recommended self-imposed isolation.  With schools closed, businesses temporarily shuttered, and all non-essential travel eliminated, many people are

now isolated in their homes and we can no longer gather as a church family.  Only a few weeks ago, I would have said that one of our biggest obstacles to growing in the Lord is the “busy”-ness of life.  As a society, we have become too overwhelmed with work, pursuits of pleasure, travel, sports, school and civic activities.  These things all competed with the time and attention that we should have been giving to the Lord.  Now, many of those things have come grinding to a halt almost overnight.  It has left many wondering, what is God’s purpose in all of this?

The psalmist tells us to “be still”.  We certainly are less active than just a few weeks ago, but I wonder how many of us have truly taken the time to “be still” before the Lord.  Even in a situation where you have more time on your hands, fewer responsibilities and no place to go, you can still be robbed of the“still”-ness in your soul.  Your heart may be troubled with anxiety (How am I going to pay the bills?  What if I get sick? What if I can’t get essential food or medicine?).  You may be anguishing over the loneliness and isolation you feel.  You may even find that being “cooped” up with the spouse and the kids is taking a toll on your nerves and your patience is running thin.  Being still before the Lord requires you to take the time to quiet your noisy soul, emptying yourself of both the external and internal distractions, and allowing yourself to have a time of communion with your God.  Don’t let these special days go by without taking the time to quiet your soul and “be still”.

The second thing the psalmist tells us is to “know that I am God”.  God is in control – not only of this world at a grand scale but also in every small detail of your life.  Anxieties often come when we feel like our circumstances are out of our control.  The central fact to remember is this: your circumstances are ALWAYS out of your control.  It is an illusion to think that you are able to control your own life.  Your circumstances are in God’s hands.  He is orchestrating and fully controls every small detail in your life.  It is just a matter of keeping that truth not just in your mind but deeply implanted in your soul.  Take the time during these special days to get to know God better.  He has revealed all that we need to know about Him in the Bible.  Have you taken the time during this season to get to know God better?

Finally, why does the psalmist tell us to “be still and know that I am God”?  Namely, so that God can be exalted in all things.  If God is in control, if He is orchestrating all of the circumstances in our lives, it is because He wants to get the glory in those things.  As we acknowledge His sovereignty in our lives, we are essentially saying to God – “I am totally surrendered to your will and God will get the glory from everything that happens”.  Why is God putting each of us, our church, this country and this world through this at this time?  I can’t answer that with anything specific.  However, I believe that when we use this time to still our hearts before Him, cast our cares upon Him, get to know Him better, and acknowledge that He is in control – He gets the glory!  Give God the glory in your life today and thank Him for his steadfast and certain faithfulness to us even during these uncertain times.

A response of faith is also a response of prayer.  Christian, be in prayer for those infected around the world that they might be healed.  Pray that those who are living in fear might know the peace that can be found in Jesus Christ.  Pray for your local leaders, your local area and especially your local church.  We have a spiritual need and a biblical mandate as a body of believers to continue to meet and worship together.  Pray that we might make wise decisions about how best to meet these needs for the glory of God while keeping in perspective the realities and implications of the pandemic that we are facing.