QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE OUR STRENGTH

QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE OUR STRENGTH

Friday, August 09, 2013

 Isaiah 30:15-18 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. 16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. 17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. 18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

  This world has always been a troubled problematic place, at times critically so. As history buff I tell you that even in the calmest political times there has been and continues to be crisis one on top of another: A fragile or even false political peace in the best of times.

  As individuals we have little control or influence of this large ongoing turmoil.

  We do however have available Lord God’s provision of strength with its accompanying courage by and through His provision; evidenced in anxiety displaced by quietness and confidence.

  This provision His is not however automatic, nor is it realized by mantra. It requires our resting in knowledge and acceptance (trust!) of His Sovereignty; Omnipotent; Omniscient; Omnipresent.

  In Old Testament, Job, suffering terrible loss and at the time quite ill, is example of this rest as he declared that though God slay him . . . he would trust Him and be unwavering in maintaining his *integrity. (Job 13:15)

  In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, in wretched circumstance while awaiting certain execution . . . rested confidently in his relationship and fellowship with his Lord, declared contentment. (Phil.4:11-13)

  In our present life, __________, . . . ? 

EBB4

*Biblical “integrity”: http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-integrity.html