Be Still & Know

There is a phenomenon that takes place when a person is in motion. You may have noticed this before; the faster you are moving the more that your field of vision narrows. When stationary we have a 180° horizontal visual field and a 130° vertical visual field, but as you increase in speed your eyes instinctively narrow to what is in front of you. This is a point of focus in many driver’s education classes because many accidents can be avoided with better visual awareness. For example, when you are driving about 60 mph, your horizontal visual field is only 40° (20° to the left and right of our line of sight). That’s a significant reduction. At 60 mph your peripheral field of vision is almost 4 times less than when you are stationary.

Here’s the point I want to make. The faster you go, the less perspective you have. That’s true of when we are driving, but I think that it is also true of life in general. When we rush through life, we lose our perspective. When we are stressed, hurried, and feel the pressures of daily demands, it is easy to lose sight of what is truly important. Some of us have lost our perspective because we are simply going too fast. Sometimes we just need to slow down. God reminds us in Psalm 46:10,

Be still, and know that I am God.

God desires for each of us to have times where we take a break and slow down. God wants us to slow down because it’s good for our souls and it gives God an opportunity to remind us of the way things really are. See if you can be still, it just might instill, that He’s still God. It’s in the stillness we can remind ourselves that God is still in charge and He’s still good. God is still good even when today doesn’t feel good.

As Christians, we do not just live for today. We live for tomorrow. We live with eternity in perspective. For those who follow Jesus, today’s problems are never greater than tomorrow’s joys. It doesn’t matter how tough today is, God can always do something better tomorrow. This is what it means to have hope. If we are rushing through life, we lose sight of that. Remember your circumstances are not greater than your creator. It's easy to get caught in the pressures and demands of today, but sometimes we just need to slow down and broaden our perspective.  If you have lost that perspective, take time to be still. Get away from everything else and remember that He is still God.

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

But first and most importantly seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you also. -Matthew 6:33

Simply put this verse reminds us to “Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing”, and the main thing in life is a relationship with God.

We must know what the most important thing in our lives is and keep our priorities in line.  In our society today a huge emphasis is put on commerce and material things, but we must remember that things are not most important to God.  He wants us to have and enjoy the nice things He gives us, but He also wants first place in our lives.  We are taught to seek the kingdom of God and His way of acting and doing before we seek anything else.

When we seek something, we think about it often. We talk about it. We are even willing to pay a price to have it.  Some people even fall into the trap of seeking God so He will give them the things they want.  Obviously, those motives are wrong.  We must form the habit of seeking God’s face and not merely His hand.  We need to seek Him for who He is and not what He can do for us.

God is pleased when we want to spend time with Him just because we love Him.  He is also pleased when we praise and worship Him because of who He is.  Would we not all think that God enjoys a celebration for His “being” and not just His “doing”?  We all want friends who are interested in who we are, and not just what we can do for them. God calls us His friend through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We should act like a true friend.

When we put God first, keep Him there, and seek to do things His way, we are showing that we delight in Him.  Then, according to Psalm 37:4, He gives us the desires of our hearts.

What Do You Smell Like?

Earlier this summer we had several very hazy days. The air seemed to be saturated with smoke and you could smell the scent of burning wood. The news said this was the result of wildfires in Canada. It seems hard to believe something so far away was having an effect on us here.

We all know that certain smells can evoke vivid memories and emotions. For example, the smell of Old Spice aftershave and citronella candles brings fond memories of time spent in the backyard with my Pop. What smells bring you happiness and peace? More importantly, what is God’s favorite fragrance?

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. -2 Corinthians 2:15, NIV

Are we giving off a scent that is pleasing to God? Is our smell drifting far and wide? We have the responsibility to be the pleasing aroma of Christ. Some days are easier to smell good than others. You have got to choose each day to splash on that sweet aroma and pray your scent drifts on the wind like smoke from a wildfire! Who knows, maybe they will smell us in Canada!

A Lack of Depth

            During the winter seasons, the Great Lakes can become quite temperamental. When gale force winds are blowing, Lake Erie has been known to get waves as high as 25 feet. Lake Erie seems to be the most temperamental of all the Great Lakes. This is because it is the shallowest. Of the thousands of estimated shipwrecks, 25% are thought to lie at the bottom of Lake Erie. Lake Erie is 2nd smallest in terms of surface area among the five Great Lakes. To be more precise, Lake Erie accounts for 10.5% of the total surface area of all the Great Lakes. Let that sink in. Lake Erie which accounts for 10.5% of the total surface area has 25% of the shipwrecks. The number is disproportionate in part because Lake Erie is so shallow. Because it does not have as much depth, its waters become turbulent more easily. The result is a lot more shipwrecks. A lack of depth has led to disproportionate destruction.

            I think Lake Erie has something to remind us about ourselves. When we are emotionally shallow or lack depth in our thinking, it seems we have similar results. Why do we get so temperamental sometimes? I think in part it is because we lack the emotional maturity to handle the situation. Or perhaps we lack the perspective to think clearly. Or maybe we fail to listen. In short, we lack depth. When we lack depth, smaller incidents can turn the waters of our emotions into a turbulent sea. We fly off the handle more easily. We say things we regret. We hurt those that we love. I wonder how many of us have left a disproportionate number of shipwrecked lives in the wake of our anger?

            Let me give you a few recommendations from the Bible that can help add some depth to your life. Firstly, be quick to listen (James 1:19). A lack of understanding and real communication has led to many unnecessary fights. Secondly, put your problems in perspective (Romans 5:3-5). The Bible teaches us that when put our faith in God, even those things that cause us to suffer are being used to make us better. God loves you immensely and is using it for your good. Just take a deep breath and keep your cool. Finally, love others deeply (1 Peter 4:8). Simply love others the way God has loved you. The people God has placed in your life are infinitely more important than your personal preferences. Love them from the heart. We are not meant shipwreck them. We are meant to help make sure their ship makes it safely to shore. Let’s learn from Lake Erie and add some depth to our lives.