Still

Psalms 46:10 Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Wow, be still? Now there is a concept. I am not a still person. I am constantly in motion, from the time my feet hit the floor until my exhausted body finally falls into the bed. Even when I am in a state of relaxation, my mind is thinking of the 5,000 things just waiting for my attention. So, when I felt the Lord whispering this to me, ok, screaming this at me...I had to take a step back and say Ok, Lord what are you showing me. So, in my quest to know what the Lord is telling me in this time of my life this is what I found.

While be still, means to relax, withdraw...I find it interesting that is also means to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake and LET GO. Ok, so the Lord is telling me LET GO, honey and know, I am God, I am the True God and I will be exalted, He will be lifted up among the heathen, which means the nations, and all the earth. Ok, so it sounds so simple, right...but yet when you are a single mother with many responsibilities, letting go is not something you do. I think if I am not handling it or thinking about the next plan of action, it simply won't get done. And while there are things I need to take a concern to, God is telling me, Melissa, Let go, relax, rest in me, and KNOW I am your God and I am working this out for you!

Oh the peace of knowing that my God has concerns of every aspect of my life. Not just my life but of those that he calls his. So, whether you are a total control freak like me or whether you struggle with tending to one area of your life, hear the Lord when he says, child Let go, let me.

Now Faith

I was reading this scripture as I often do, because it is a great faith builder, and as often as it is read and quoted , I always see a different meaning hidden in there. This time, as reading it, I placed the emphasis on the NOW part. Using now as an adverb, it changes the whole perspective of the scripture. NOW FAITH...what is NOW faith, well it is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen.

What is substance...Strong's 5287 says that substance is: a setting or placing under thing put under, substructure, foundation that which has foundation, is firm that which has actual existence a substance, real being the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution confidence, firm trust, assurance
And one step further to the evidence...Strong's 1650 says that evidence is: a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested conviction

Wow, so now with a deeper understanding of the words used here, we see that Now Faith is the substructure, Firm foundation, actual existence, real being, steadfastness, firmness, assurance of things hoped for, and the proof of things not seen.

Reading on, the chapter discusses our forefathers in the Faith and how their faith was counted unto them as righteousness. I read how Noah, being moved by faith built the ark to save his family from the flood. I realized that Noah had NOW Faith, he believed, even before there was rain, that it was going to fall. He operated his NOW faith with building the ark. Preparing the ark and having everything ready when the rain came down. He began preparing for the evidence of something not seen years before the onset.

So in our faith walk, in our hopes, Let us put into action NOW Faith, preparing our ark, living our hopes as actual existence, with the steadfastness of mind, confidence, firm trust and assurance.

Live NOW for the evidence of things not seen!