Day 23---Be still

Quietly pondering what God has done

            Mighty storms thrust our consciousness into recognizing the unrelenting power and unmatchable strength of God, which is a truth we touched upon yesterday.  However, God does not exist to try to impress us.  He does not need to do so; He is so much more than we could ever be.

            Amazingly, despite His superiority to humans, He desires a personal, involved relationship with people.  When Elijah was discouraged about constantly having to flee for his life, God spoke to Elijah.

            I Kings 19:11—"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by…'"

            While standing in a cave on the side of the mountain, "a great and powerful wind tore the mountains part and shattered the rocks," (I Kings 19:11) but God was not in the storm.  This was followed by an earthquake and then a fire.  Yet, God did not speak to Elijah through these expressions of might.  Then…

            I Kings 19:12c-13—"came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard, it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.  Then a voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"

            God chose to listen to and encourage Elijah through a quiet voice.  His intent was not to intimidate Elijah, but to show him that, despite His power, God desired a personal, intimate relationship with Elijah, which is what He wants with you, too.  So, how can you have a relationship like Elijah had with God?  Although that can be a long answer, focus on two things that Elijah did.

            First, he obeyed God.  God told him to stand on the mountain.  Elijah did that.

            Second, he patiently waited for God to accomplish what He had planned.

            Your turn:  How do you teach your kids to be patient when uncertainty happens?  How do you teach them that God wants to know them personally?  Begin with your reaction to trouble or uncertainties.  Be obedient to God and wait patiently for Him to provide His answer His way.  Then with confidence, hold on to Psalm 47:10a:  "Be still, and know that I am God."  Then not only will you be able to recognize the unrelenting power of God, but also you will be able to have a personal, one-on-one relationship with the creator of the universe.

            If you would like more ideas on helping your children (and yourself) develop a Biblical worldview or to find out how to win a Wal-Mart gift card, go to the 31 Days Giveaway (Intro. Part II) post for more Touching Families blog links.  If you want to check out other 31 Days' topics, see The Nester.

*All verses quoted are from the New International Version:  THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.