Certainty, in uncertain times - Pt.3

Confidence is often born of experience.  If past events have shown me that I can trust you, then I will have confidence in you in the future.  So we read, in this third devotional thought based on the words of Psalm 46, and in the final section of the psalm, that the psalmists invite their hearers to “Come, behold the works of YHWH.”  “Come”, they say, “see what YHWH, Who is our God, what He has done” “How He has wrought desolations in the earth”

God has acted on behalf of His people, and the outcome of His intervention is peace: “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariot with fire”. Or, in our 21st century parlance, “He destroys all nuclear weapons; He neutralises all bio-chemical weapons; He decimates all conventional weapons.” Surely no-one could doubt that He had done marvellous things. The rout of the enemy – whoever, or whatever, it may have been, was obviously beyond dispute.

Yet, greater than even the event, was the Divine power that moulded it and, in the cessation of this campaign, the psalmists catch a glimpse of the future inauguration of undisturbed, and universal, peace.  They see, in terms of their own knowledge and experience, that Day of which Paul wrote; that Day when “... at the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth; and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil.2:10-11). As Max Lucado writes in one of his books, “There are no atheists in hell”! (3:16) Think about that one!

The psalm draws to a close with those beautiful words of the Lord Himself: “Be still, and know that I am God” – words that do not, in spite of popular opinion, refer merely to a relaxing repose.  Rather, this is the stillness of the athlete, feet on the blocks, having heard the ‘Get set’, and the ‘Ready’ and, with every muscle straining, but perfectly still, waiting expectantly for the crack of the starting pistol to set him off on the race that lies before him.  And then he runs, knowing that the track is prepared; and with only one end in view – reaching the finishing line.  So Paul writes, again: “... forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14; RSV).  The encouragement – nay, the command – to you and to me is to wait expectantly; listening intently for every word that the Lord would graciously speak to us; ready, as one hymn-writer put it, to do His will.

Of course, there are times when we do have to rest.  An American Bible-teacher has written: “It is well for all of us to recognise that our Saviour, in His wisdom, not only leads us, but also makes us lie down, in fulfilling His wise purposes.  Often we desire the thrill of progress, when He knows that we need the reviving stillness of peace.” (de Haan). 

The hymn-writer, May Grimes, combined both aspects in those words, familiar to many of us:

“Speak, Lord, in the stillness; as I wait on Thee. Hushed my heart to listen in expectancy.”

“Be still, and know that I am God” – whether that be the stillness of repose, or the stillness of expectant waiting.

Just before the final refrain, God’s assuring claim rings out: “I shall be exalted among the nations; I shall be exalted in the earth”, words that, again, remind us of those words of Paul to the early followers of Jesus in Philippi.  He is YHWH Sabaoth – the Lord of Hosts; He is the Sovereign King of the universe.

The Sons of Korah had but an imperfect knowledge of all that God was and is.  Yet they could have such a steadfast faith in God, because of their experience of God.  And the call comes to God’s people today – we who have seen so much more of His wonderful love to mankind, in the Lord Jesus; the call to have even greater faith in Him, especially when we live in difficult and uncertain times.

But, mark well; the promise is only to the people of God!  It’s a guarantee, an assurance, a certainty, that comes only with the yielding of our lives to the Christ of the cross; reliance on Him, and Him alone, for salvation; obedience to His will for our individual lives.  But if you are His, then His word comes to you with hope, and encouragement, that He is able to deliver His people from all adversity; that He is still on the throne, in spite of any appearance to the contrary, assuring His people that He is their Confidence, in the midst of the nations; the One in Whom they may have implicit trust.

He, and He alone, is our Certainty in these uncertain times.