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Calm in the midst of Chaos
Text: Mark 4:35-41; Psalm 46:10
These are two passages of scripture that you may not hear paired together but this morning I felt that these two would be the best way to identify what has been on my heart.
These past number of months the passage of scripture “Be still and know that I am God” has been my personal lifeline.
Don’t you love it when God gives you a word, phrase, passage that you can stand firmly upon especially in the most trying times?
Well that is how it has been for me.
This morning we are going to closely examine three things:
Be still
Know
I am God
Simple truths jammed full of life changing power.
So how have you been?
It has been a few weeks since we last were together and in that time how many of you have had busy times, trying times, storms, or even experienced some type of chaos?
For those who are parents are you eager for Wednesday to get here?
For routine to begin?
There may be some that don’t have kids but long for the routine of Fall to begin because that coincides with school opening.
Summer is lovely, holidays are great but it is nice for the normal routine to begin and the flow of daily life to resume.
Is it really flow or frustration though?
How many of us take the time to look at what makes us overwhelmed or flustered?
We live in a day where everyone is in a rush, too much on their plate, then overwhelmed with life in general.
Our text today will help us get things into perspective and drive home the fact that we need to put these plans in place for our own health both emotionally and spiritually.
Prayer: God open up our hearts and minds to receive what you have for us this morning that we will see the need to guard our relationship with you and allow it to grow in a healthy way.
1. Be still
Be still and know that I am God.
Such a short verse full of so much powerful punch.
If I were to ask you to define being still this morning who would be able to help me do justice with that?
Look for a wiggly child or chatty teen.
Be still - is defined as not moving and being quiet.
It can also mean two things Biblically that is why we have two different passage of scripture to examine.
In the Old Testament:
God is defending the city and people
The Hebrew definition is to stop striving, to let go, to surrender.
The chapter begins with God is our refuge… we can take comfort in letting go and resting in God to provide help, strength and safety.
Here is a prayer to let go:
Dear God:
In this moment I get go of all thoughts and concerns.
When I let go, I am able to receive.
When my hands are formed into tight fists, I cannot open my hands to receive anything.
When I hang onto tight control,
When I close off my heart and my spirit,
I cannot receive your blessings.
Letting go in this moment, I receive your loving presence around me and within me.
Help me to let go when I feel overwhelmed, so that I may receive your peace.
Help me to let go when I feel fear so that in fear’s place I may receive love and courage.
I let go of problems and challenges in order to receive your guidance and clarity.
I let go and trust you.
You will catch me.
I let go and trust in the still, small voice inside of me.
Help me not to struggle but to surrender my struggle to you.
I gladly receive this gift of letting go and letting you lead and guide me.
Amen.
2. New Testament
Peace!
Be Still! - exclamation point is there for a reason
In the Mark 4 account we read earlier Jesus uses the words “Peace, Be Still!
Matthew and Luke portrays this instance as well but talk about an extremely busy time where Jesus healed people, cast our demons and had a lot of speaking engagements.
Scripture does not say this but the picture is painted that Jesus was exhausted and overwhelmed.
You see He is still God but He is also man, fully man, meaning he got tired, and exhausted it was a part of him taking on the form of man.
Jesus requested a boat to escape the crowds and the chaos to recharge.
He illustrates the need to be still, to recharge, rest, be clam.
Then a storm came and the people (the disciples) panicked.
They looked to Jesus to help them and found him asleep due to exhaustion.
They were terrified of the storm and woke Jesus up.
According to Mark’s account Jesus was not happy and yelled in his frustration “Peace, Be still!”
The literal translation of Be still in the Greek is hush! and in modern terms - Be quiet!
The storm that was huge stopped immediately!
illustration: Ever go on a road trip with children?
Ever hear are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
How much longer?
I need to use the bathroom?
I am so bored?
What is our answer?
Be still!
Be quiet!
Hush!
How often do we ask God for everything but we don’t stop to listen, examine, or be still!
The act of being still, getting quiet is quite the challenge in the chaos of our world today.
Ever try it?
The phone rings, your mind wanders, you have an appointment, the dog needs to go out, the baby cries… the list of distractions goes on.
We are busy, the world asks us to be busy.
God asks us to BE STILL!
Be still so that we can receive love, peace, guidance.
Along with the busy comes anxious thoughts and fear that we hold onto.
These things have crippled our society and has become an epidemic in our youth and children alike.
These thoughts do a number on us:
I can’t believe I messed up
I’m not good enough
I can’t do it
It’s too hard
I’m a failure
I’m too old
I’m too young
We must learn to quiet or shut up our negative thoughts.
Bind up every thought.
Remember what Jesus asked the disciples after He calmed the storm?
He asked His disciples “Why are you so afraid?
Have you so little faith?”
Quieting the mind, shutting up the mind is a process and requires practice.
Practice meditation:
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