September 22 Be Still

Revelation 8:1-2 When Jesus opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
 
ENJOY the silence. Following this quiet 30 minutes in heaven, the visions of destruction, death and disease onto the earth become increasingly violent. Heaven’s judgment will break loose against the hell’s evil on earth. The Judge will wage war to the end.
    As Jesus then opens the seventh seal, know this is not the end of the Father’s revelation. It is, instead, the beginning of the Seven Trumpets, a third revelation within the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Let’s count them: We have heard from God regarding 1) the Seven Churches (among the seven lampstands) and 2) the Seven Seals. Now 3) the Seven Trumpets are about to resound throughout creation. The trumpet sounds will release more angels to deliver God’s wrath on sin. Then be prepared. After this will come 4) the Seven Bowls of judgment!
    But let’s not be overwhelmed. Still your mind. Count it joy you have the opportunity to learn more of our God and his sure hold on your life. Let your heart and soul be still in God’s presence each day to anticipate a deeper understanding of his Holy Word.
    Let’s stop, then, to consider the 30 minutes of silence. What would that be like? Is it possible to rest for 30 minutes in the tumult of your life? Do you trust God to care for your anxieties? Can you really sit and be quiet? What would happen? Perhaps 30 minutes of silence will lead you to prayer, trusting your Sovereign God, indeed, has you in his hands. In fact, some think the heavenly silence here could be God’s silence to hear your prayers for his “will to be done on earth”.
    But perhaps the silence is another view of the biblical image of God calling us to be still amid turmoil. For example: Psalms 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. There is, too, the comforting Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” And the beloved Psalms 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the still waters.
    Then we see our Comforter offering us his stillness amid the physical storms. Mark 4:39-40 Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you yet have no faith?” 
    That’s it, isn’t it? Why are we so afraid? When we believe our Lord is with us, standing against hell’s fury for us, we can be still! We can put away our grief, doubt, worry and anxiety to say, “I know you are God.”
 
Prayer: Jesus, I pray you still my heart to focus on you. Turn me from myself to see your gracious love and care for me and for your people. Amen.