By Sheila Barnett
Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14, NLT)
Moses showed great faith in God when he commanded the Israelites to “be still” and “stay calm”. He was confident in God’s ability to save His chosen people. It seems that Moses’ faith had grown quite a lot since the third chapter of Exodus, when he gave the Lord 5 reasons why he would not be a good candidate to rescue the Israelites from captivity in Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land. One of Moses’ excuses was that he didn’t know how to explain who God is to the Jewish people. “God replied to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)
In Psalm 46:10, God also encourages His followers to be still. He says, “Be still, and know that I AM God!” (NLT, emphasis mine) Why does God invite us to stop struggling? Perhaps one reason is found in Psalm 46:1, which says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in time of trouble.” (NLT) When the worst moments of our lives make us want to run, hide, or fight, do we have faith like Moses to be still and watch what the great I AM can do? When life’s circumstances threaten to overwhelm us, in our stillness, we can hear God say,
“Be still and know that I AM your Savior”
“Be still and know that I AM your Defender”
“Be still and know that I AM your Helper”
“Be still and know that I AM your Friend”
Being still and looking to God is often just the first part of the equation. After Moses calmed the fears of the Israelites with his absolute certainty of God’s imminent rescue, the Lord then told Moses to get the people moving, parted the Red Sea for them, and saved them from the Egyptian army. (Exodus 14: 5-31) At that time, Pharaoh’s army of over 600 chariots was the greatest military power in the world. No wonder the Israelites were terrified! But instead of panicking and trying to save themselves, they stilled themselves before the Lord and then followed His instructions. Likewise, we often find ourselves in situations when we need to be still or stop struggling, acknowledge the sovereignty of God, and then follow where He leads us.
Thank you, Lord, that your limitless power is matched by your endless love. Please help us to remember to be still and recognize that You are the great I AM, and to be obedient to Your will for our lives.