Bible devotionals

Perfect Peace

Posted on by Betsy

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

This beautiful prayer is a hallmark of 12 Step groups such as AA. The origin of it is somewhat disputed, but look at this longer prayer written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace.

Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.

Trusting that You will make all things right, if I surrender to Your will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

The pursuit of serenity and peace is something that consumes many of us, with little to no results. The reason may be that we are using the wrong things to find it. Hoping to find serenity in alcohol, drugs, food, “retail therapy”, inappropriate relationships, overworking, over exercising, attempting to control everything around us … even the list itself is exhausting.

I know someone who religiously gets up every morning to pour over every single page of a national newspaper, thinking that intellectual pursuit of answers to her anxiety about the current state of affairs will bring her peace. It does not. I know someone else who is up at the crack of dawn to exercise, followed by more cardio work and group classes throughout the day, in hopes that physical exhaustion will settle her mind down. It does not. Neither will the every-afternoon Happy Hour routine, the weed smoked before class, the sexting, the pornography, the overspending, the under-eating … nothing we can produce or manufacture will bring us true peace. It is all lies, smoke, and mirrors fueled by industries who are just trying to entice more consumption of useless things.

Niebuhr was right. Accepting hardship, rather than denying it, is the pathway to peace. Living one day at a time, rather than spinning with worry about tomorrow, will lead us to serenity. Enjoying one moment at a time rather than comparing that moment to the fun everyone on Fakebook seems to be having will lead to acceptance of the world as it is. And the key? “Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.”

Take a look at verses 3 and 4 of this passage from Isaiah. Note that the voice changes in this passage; verse 1 and 2 describes what is happening, verse 3 addresses God, and verse 4 addresses us.

Isaiah 26

1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;

    he sets up salvation

    as walls and bulwarks.

2 Open the gates,

    that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.”

3 You keep him in perfect peace

    whose mind is stayed on You,

    because he trusts in You.

4 Trust in the Lord forever,

    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

To be kept in this perfect peace, our minds must be “stayed” on God. The Hebrew word “sawmak” comes from the root “to prop,” and is translated as “to lean upon or take hold of; to bear up, establish, uphold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay, sustain.” (Strong’s Dictionary)

So, what sustains your mind? What do you lay your mind upon? What does your mind stand fast upon? What is your mind leaning on? To have perfect peace, your mind can’t just occasionally visit the Lord; it has to be STAYED on him. Keeping your mind, heart, soul and activity wholly centered on God is the way to peace.

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Serenity by Michelle Robertson

Choose Joy

Posted on by Betsy

You may have noticed that this is the third time this week that I have offered you a picture of an Outer Banks rainbow. It seems everyone in my coastal area had a profound reaction to this beautiful reminder of God’s love. One set of people saw it just after a “Viking funeral” for two brothers. Another family saw it just after the funeral of their beloved patriarch. Seeing God in rainbows is biblical:

Genesis 9 (New International Version)

13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Rainbows remind us of God’s covenant to love, protect, and cherish all life on earth.

Today, I thought you would enjoy hearing from Averi Creef, a young adult who grew up in my church. Averi is a blessed child of God and her “Gen Z” perspective of the rainbow is refreshing and insightful.

I’m sure most of you saw the rainbow. I had just clocked out of my job when I first spotted it and raced to the beach access closest to me. I felt a shift in my heart after what has seemed like such a chaotic and negative chapter of life. I’m learning to grow and to try my absolute best to slow down, and this moment beautified this exact goal of mine.

To some it may just be a rainbow, but to me it’s the Lord’s reminder and promise that everything will be just fine. So often we gripe about what’s going wrong in our lives, I know I’m a great example of this sometimes (so I’m honestly calling myself out). While we groan about how miserable we are, we miss out on so many things.

All the craziness and negativity lately in the media has been so draining and hard to see… as well as the recent news about TikTok. Don’t get me wrong, as a prime example of a Gen Z woman, I am upset about the loss of the app, and I do have a lot of good memories and joy surrounding it- especially throughout the pandemic with that being the best way we could find to spread smiles and laughter while physically disconnected. However, none of these things truly suck all that bad. 

I ran into an older woman taking in the beauty of the rainbow while I was, and watched as she took a couple photos, and we chatted about how nice it was to enjoy this together. I even offered to take some photos of her with the view in the background and she was speechless from the kind gesture. Goes to show that we need to do more of this. A couple others pulled into the beach access beside us and joined in on our conversation and we all agreed that this moment was what we all needed. It was personally the most wholesome interaction I’ve had in months. 

A beautiful moment of conversation and awe with mere strangers is what the world needs more of. Don’t get me wrong, life can really chew us up and spit us out some days, but that’s the case for everyone. I’m personally going to try and complain less (not going to be easy at first), and instead, choose joy… because life is freaking short and can be worthwhile if we try. Lend a smile or a helping hand this week. The world needs it, and it needs you.

From the mouths of babes! Averi has delivered a sermon worthy of our attention. Learn how to grow. Slow down. Seek conversations with strangers. Complain less. Life can be worthwhile if we try. Lend a smile or helping hand to someone.

The world needs you.

So choose joy.

Choose Joy by Averi Creef

God-Colors

Posted on by Betsy

Last week God graced the Outer Banks with an incredible double rainbow. Rainbows are not uncommon here: There will be a certain light in the sky during or right after a rain that will signal the optimum circumstance for a rainbow to appear. When I see this, I run outside and nine time out of ten, I will find it. Do you know how rainbows get their color? According to National Geographic Education, “a rainbow is a multicolored arc made by light striking water droplets. The most familiar type rainbow is produced when sunlight strikes raindrops in front of a viewer at a precise angle (42 degrees). Rainbows can also be viewed around fog, sea spray, or waterfalls. 

A rainbow is an optical illusion—it does not actually exist in a specific spot in the sky. The appearance of a rainbow depends on where you’re standing and where the sun (or other source of light) is shining. The sun or other source of light is usually behind the person seeing the rainbow. In fact, the center of a primary rainbow is the antisolar point, the imaginary point exactly opposite the sun. 

Rainbows are the result of the refraction and reflection of light. Both refraction and reflection are phenomena that involve a change in a wave’s direction. A refracted wave may appear “bent,” while a reflected wave might seem to “bounce back” from a surface or other wavefront. Light entering a water droplet is refracted. It is then reflected by the back of the droplet. As this reflected light leaves the droplet, it is refracted again, at multiple angles.”

Refraction and reflection. Bending and bouncing back. Providing a visual of something intangible: In the same way, we are called to provide a representation of Jesus to all who see us, so that people may see him through us. 

Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)

14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Last week, we celebrated the life of one of my favorite people. This man was the patriarch of a three-generation family that attends our church. He was kind, He was fun and funny. He was a solid refraction and reflection of Jesus Christ in everything he said and did. I will truly miss my friend. Just a few hours after his funeral, this rainbow in the picture below appeared over our little island. I think it was God’s message to us that all is well in both heaven and earth. Dickie has come home to the Lord and leaves a legacy of God-colors for us to live up to.

Where is God calling you to refract and reflect his light so that others may see his Son in you? Climb that hilltop, and shine.

God-Colors by Tim Neal

Better News

Posted on by Betsy

Twice last week I had an unexpected phone call from a loved one. In both cases, my first thought was that something was terribly wrong. I answered with trepidation, not knowing what was about to come. Fortunately in both cases, the caller immediately let me know that they were not reporting death or disaster but rather calling with incredibly good news. One reported a miraculous remission of her cancer. That was the sweetest, most uplifting news I have had in a long time. The other reported that she was making arrangements to fly down to see me in a few weeks and would run the last 5 miles of a Half Marathon with me to help me “over the line.” If you run long distances, you know what a blessing that will be. Listening to my audible book will only take me so far!

It seems to me that there isn’t enough good news going around these days. The horrific wildfires in California, the uncertainty of a new administration poised to take over our country in a matter of days, the changes in social media that are happening right now, and even the price of eggs seem to dominate our daily experiences, conversations, and our minds. Let’s face it: January comes with its own special challenges. A women’s event where I am scheduled to speak was postponed due to snow. In Atlanta. Go figure!

David wrote a beautiful psalm about what to do when the bad things seem to be overwhelming and overshadowing the good things. He wrote this in his later years, after he had experienced a fair amount of wickedness and evil. Listen to his counsel today as you consider where to turn when the bad seems to be winning:

Psalm 37 (New International Version)

 Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
    like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
    and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword
    and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
    and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
    and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:
    Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
    they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
    but the righteous give generously;
22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
    but those he curses will be destroyed.

23 The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Look again at the beginning of verses 1, 3, 7 and 8. Here is what David is saying:

Do not fret.

Trust in the Lord and do good.

Commit your way to the Lord.

Be still.

Refrain from anger.

Truly, this is the better way to deal with all the bad news! David was right.

Of course, my favorite verse is verse 23: “The Lord makes firm the steps of one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall.” Good news for this runner! And if I do stumble, now my friend will be there to catch me.

What did you hear today in this Scripture? Are you focusing too much on the bad news? Can you be a source of better news to somebody today?

Remember, the Lord upholds us all with his hand. May we reach out a hand to uphold someone else.

S N O W by Kathy Schumacher

Just Passin’ Through

Posted on by Betsy

Today’s lectionary passage from Isaiah is one of my favorite Scriptures. I recently read this to the Southern Shores firefighters at their Firefighter Academy graduation, as the words are perfect for their commitment and dedication to their calling to put themselves in harm’s way in order to save lives.

As I read it again this morning, it occurred to me that many of us are passing through some type of incendiary event in our lives right now. Addiction, incarceration, divorce, job insecurity, abuse, marital distress … there are fires all around us that threaten to undo us.

What kind of fire are you in today?

Isaiah 43 (New International Version)

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

To be known and called by name by the One who created the universe is a heady thought. That God knows me that well and promises that my particular situation will neither consume me alive nor drown me in the depths of the sea is something I can’t fathom. But yet, he loves us that much.

3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west.

At the time of this writing, the nation of Israel had been gathered up and taken into captivity in Babylon. God allowed that to happen because of their disobedience. They had walked away from him, and he allowed them to keep walking. Yet this prophecy foretells a time when they would be returned, restored, and redeemed. This is a timely reminder to us that even when we walk away from the Lord, he will follow us and continue to woo us back into his will.

6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.”

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” God won’t spare us from the trials we endure but instead promises to walk through them with us.

Are you in a firestorm today? Look around. God is there, too. You’re just passin’ through.

When You Pass Through the Waters by Michelle Robertson

Naming Our Pain

Posted on by Betsy

I’ve been writing recently about the Book of Lamentations for an adult Bible Study that I have been assigned by Cokesbury, the United Methodist Publishing House. Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah about the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. This collection of poems is an entire exercise in naming Israel’s pain, and as we read through it, Jeremiah’s faith is evidenced again and again. He never tries to solve their problems but lays it all at God’s throne. 

Jeremiah 1 (Common English Bible)

11 All her people are groaning, seeking bread. They give up their most precious things for food to survive. “Lord, look and take notice: I am most certainly despised.” 12 Is this nothing to all you who pass by? Look around: Is there any suffering like the suffering inflicted on me, the grief that the Lord caused on the day of his fierce anger? 13 From above he sent fire into my bones; he trampled them. He spread a net for my feet; he forced me backward. He left me devastated, constantly sick. 14 My steps are being watched; by his hand they are tripped up. His yoke is on my neck; he makes my strength fail. My Lord has handed me over to people I can’t resist. 

 It is painful to read Jeremiah’s despair over his fallen city, but he sets a proper example for us to take that pain straight to the Lord. Placing our pain in God’s hands is the antidote to the weeping and wailing that we all do from time to time. We are always invited to “take it to the Lord in prayer.” Doing this is not only cathartic, but practical. It is a humble admission that we cannot solve or fix things on our own. It is an act of obedience to stop trying to be self-reliant. It focuses our hearts on God’s sovereignty as well as God’s love for us. After all, God loved the world enough to ease the pain of sin by sending us Jesus. God can surely handle our pain.

You may have experienced opportunities to name and release your pain during worship services or at retreats. From writing something down and burning it, to sitting with a prayer partner and speaking it aloud, or simply opening up a personal journal and letting it all leak out of your pen, we are invited to practice this discipline as a way to let go of past hurts and grievances and move forward in the freedom of knowing that what you give over to God is gone from you forever.

 Read this verse from the Amplified Bible: 

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, 7 casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]” (1 Peter 5:6-8).

I love how this translation says to cast all your cares on God “once and for all.” The spiritual practice of naming our pain and giving it to God should be a once and for all thing, indeed. God loves you that much!

And God is able to handle your pain … but only if you turn it over.

Take it to the Lord in Prayer by Michelle Robertson

Fear Not

Posted on by Betsy

Last week, my friend and I were walking our dogs on a beautiful day on my beautiful street bordered by beautiful canals when a bicyclist passed us from behind. Our chatter continued, mostly along the lines of the warmth of the sun, the promise of spring, and when the ospreys might return to their Colington nests. The bicyclist returned, facing us this time, and I noticed that his neon green teeshirt bore an important message:

Fear Not.

“Fear not” is a phrase found often in the Bible, spoken by God to the people of Israel in times of great distress, and by Jesus to his followers as they encountered opposition, storms, and confusion. “Fear not” are the words often spoken by angels and messengers to the people they startled and terrified when they appeared.

Fear not. What does that say to you today?

As the war in Europe enters a second week, it is a message I wish we could send to the bold people of Ukraine. The images coming out of that region are horrific. Over one million men, woman, and children are now war refugees. Countless lives have been lost, there is massive destruction of property, and Putin’s evil agenda seems to have no stopping point. When will it end? How will it end?

Into this moment, Psalm 27 appears. It is a long one. As you read it, offer God your fears. Offer God your worries. Offer God your troubles. And pray for the people in Ukraine and Russia who are caught in this madness.

Psalm 27 (Common English Bible)

The Lord is my light and my salvation.
        Should I fear anyone?
    The Lord is a fortress protecting my life.
        Should I be frightened of anything?
2 When evildoers come at me trying to eat me up—
    it’s they, my foes and my enemies,
    who stumble and fall!
3 If an army camps against me,
        my heart won’t be afraid.
    If war comes up against me,
        I will continue to trust in this:
4     I have asked one thing from the Lord—
    it’s all I seek:
        to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life,
        seeing the Lord’s beauty
        and constantly adoring his temple.
5 Because he will shelter me in his own dwelling
    during troubling times;
    he will hide me in a secret place in his own tent;
        he will set me up high, safe on a rock.

6 Now my head is higher than the enemies surrounding me,
    and I will offer sacrifices in God’s tent—
        sacrifices with shouts of joy!
    I will sing and praise the Lord.

7 Lord, listen to my voice when I cry out—
    have mercy on me and answer me!
8 Come, my heart says, seek God’s face.
    Lord, I do seek your face!
9 Please don’t hide it from me!
    Don’t push your servant aside angrily—
        you have been my help!
    God who saves me,
        don’t neglect me!
        Don’t leave me all alone!
10 Even if my father and mother left me all alone,
    the Lord would take me in.
11 Lord, teach me your way;
    because of my opponents, lead me on a good path.
12 Don’t give me over to the desires of my enemies,
    because false witnesses and violent accusers
    have taken their stand against me.
13 But I have sure faith
    that I will experience the Lord’s goodness
    in the land of the living!

Our hope is in you, and you alone, Lord.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.

14 Hope in the Lord!
    Be strong! Let your heart take courage!
        Hope in the Lord!

New Day by Michelle Robertson

Good News/Other News

Posted on by Betsy

That dichotomy is usually set up as Good News/Bad News, but today, there is no bad news … just other news.

The good news is that I am in final edits on a book called ”ADVENTuring to the Manger,” which is a collection of 25 devotionals for Christmas. It will be available on Amazon, hopefully as early as next week. While it was written for personal devotional use, it could also be a resource for small groups or bible study classes. In order for that to be easy on the leaders, I have decided to write a free, downloadable Leader’s Guide.

My other good news is that I have been hired by Cokesbury (the United Methodist Publishing House) to write an Adult Bible Study book that will be published in the summer of 2023. I have until next April to finish that manuscript, but even with the long deadline, attending to my church work and family has made all of this wonderfulness become somewhat of a juggling act. As someone who regularly drops things while unloading the dishwasher, I am not at all skilled at juggling. But thanks be to God for all these amazing opportunities to continue a ministry of writing!

So here is the other news. I need to take a step back from writing devotionals every day for At Water’s Edge. It will be a small step for now, as I intend to continue to publish two or three days per week.

I have cherished knowing that many of you are reading this EVERY DAY. As of this morning, I have published 618 devotionals in a row. Some of you have actually read all 618 of them. Bless you! My singular desire for this adventure was to get people immersed in scripture every day, and together, we have done that! Thank you, thank you! So while it is my intention to return to that at some point in the future, for now, please watch for devotionals two or three times a week.

Paul beautifully expresses how I feel about each one of you:

Philippians 1 (Common English Version)

3 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. 4 I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. 5 I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. 6 I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. 7 I have good reason to think this way about all of you because I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God’s grace, both during my time in prison and in the defense and support of the gospel. 8 God is my witness that I feel affection for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

9 This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. 11 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

Thank you for being my partner in God’s grace.

Betsy

A New Day Dawns by Michelle Robertson

Worry Warriors

Posted on by Betsy

Did you know that over 40 million people a year struggle with some type of anxiety disorder? From Generalized Anxiety Disorder to PTSD, there are many types of anxiety disorders, and it is the most common mental illness. And for the most part, it is highly treatable.

While most of us probably don’t fit in to an Anxiety Disorder category, it can be said of all of us that we worry. And some of us worry too much. Worrying is both a symptom and a catalyst for anxiety, and can absolutely overwhelm you to the point of paralysis. When we worry, our joy is stolen, our peace is non-existent, and our well-being suffers, along with those around us.

The root cause of much of our anxious worrying is fear. When we are afraid of something, we turn that fear into negative thoughts and run through multiple scenarios of what could go wrong. And there are so many things that we fear!

Rejection

Failure

Abandonment

Exposure

Being manipulated

Losing someone or something precious

Losing control

Accidents

Not getting things finished

Being hurt in a realationship

And on, and on, and on.


Did you know that God does not give us fear? Nope. Fear is not from God. We manage that all on our own.

2 Timothy 17 (Modern English Version)

7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control.

I think a clue for how to battle worry is found in what God DOES give us. Instead of fear, he gives us power. His power is available to us to help us in our problem-solving. Instead of fear, he gives us love, the strongest emotion a human can give or receive. There is strength for the battle in love. And perhaps most importantly, he gives us self-control, so that when worrying begins to overtake us, we can clang shut that nonsense and focus on things that are going right and the many places we have been blessed.

Power, love, and self-control. Next time you find yourself starting to worry, remember that you have these weapons in your battle bag. You are a worry warrior.

Fear Not, for God is With You. Photo by Michelle Robertson

Stop, Sun

Posted on by Betsy

Ever wish you could stop time? As in, literally snap your fingers or push a button and have time stand still? Watching your baby daughter grow up right before your eyes, attending a family reunion knowing you won’t see each other for another year and wondering who will be gone then, starting your last semester of college, waking up to the first day of vacation…there are a lot of examples of situations when we might wish we could stop time and just linger for awhile.

Our hurried lives often leave us wishing we had such power. If only I could stop time, I just might get all these things on my “to do” list accomplished. If only I could just slow down the day, I could cram in all the things that I have over-committed to. If only the sun would stay up a little longer, I could meet everyone’s demands for my time and attention.

Did you know that there was a time in the Old Testament when someone actually asked God to stop time…and he did?

Joshua 10 (The Message)

12-13 The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening:

“Stop, Sun, over Gibeon;
Halt, Moon, over Aijalon Valley.”

And Sun stopped,
Moon stood stock still
Until he defeated his enemies.

13-14 (You can find this written in the Book of Jashar.) The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day. There’s never been a day like that before or since—God took orders from a human voice! Truly, God fought for Israel

The battle for Gibeon was set to end at sundown. Joshua’s military forces did not have night vision goggles, high beams, or even flashlights. In order to defeat the five kings of the Amorites, he needed more time, so he prayed that God would give him that. God heard his prayer and prevented the sun from setting until Joshua had finished his battle.

What battle are you in today that is suffering from your hectic, over-rushed life? Where has your hurry turned into debilitating worry, preventing you from relaxing into a moment and being present in the present? Hurry-worry is soul crushing. Are there things in your over-committed life that can be shed so that you can live in real time without so much stress?

Sun, stand still. Moon, stay put. We call on God to give us the tools that enable us to slow our frantic pace and attend to the meaningful priorities that will bring us closer to him, closer to one another, and closer to peace. This means allowing God to set priorities according to his will, and being willing to LET GO of anything that doesn’t fall into his prioritizing. Are you ready for that?

What do you need to do today to make that happen? Don’t let the sun go down before you do it.

Still Moon by Becca Ziegler