Stand Still

Sometimes we find ourselves surrounded by challenges and problems that seem to have no solution. Maybe we have been experiencing victory and success, or at the very least, life has been going along pretty normally when: Bang! an unexpected crisis hits our life that throws everything into a tail spin.  Israel found themselves in this situation in Exodus chapter 14. God had delivered them from four hundred years of slavery with awesome miracles and power. They were so excited leaving Egypt with the wealth of Egypt in their hands on the way to the promised land. Man, life was good and God is great! Then they ran into the Red Sea with mountains on each side and the Egyptian army at their back.

When challenges, problems, or crises unexpectedly strike our lives, and there seems to be no way out, our initial response is not always the best. Like Israel, maybe we become frantic or fearful, or anger sets in and we blame God or others for the problem. Despair whispers, “Lie down and give up, there is no way out.” Cowardice cries, “Retreat; God’s way is too difficult, I’ve made a mistake and should have never tried this, it was good for a while but it isn’t working any more. Human Effort determines, “If I just pray a little harder, work a little more, or try a different way, I can get out of this. Presumption declares, “If the sea is before me, by faith I am going to walk into it and expect a miracle from God.”

Faith though does not listen to Despair, Cowardice, Human Effort or Presumption. As with Israel, the command may be, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord… The Lord will fight for you, and you will hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13,14) Great faith is not based upon what we do, but our willingness to trust God totally in the midst of the storm and impossible situation. Do we really believe in a supernatural God who can do far above what we could even ask or think?

In Matthew 8:8 a centurion came to Jesus and said, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." Jesus immediate response was, “I’ll come to your house and heal him.” The centurion’s response astounded Jesus. He said, “Just speak the word and my servant will be healed.” Verse10 says, “When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”

Sometimes the greatest faith is when we cease from our labors and stop crying, pleading, and begging God for what we want or expect and just stand still. Stand still, attentive to God, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the voice of God, ready to do whatever He asks, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. When Israel stopped complaining and stood still, quietly waiting, the word of the Lord came, “Go forward, lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel will go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” (Exodus 14:15-16)

No matter what you are facing today, God is not at fault, nor is he surprised or caught off guard. He knew what was going to happen even before you were born and already has a solution in place. It may not be your solution but His solution. Stop your frantic activity, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

Andy Clark