Still part 5
Stand still. Kind of goes against our "natural" instincts of either fight or flight, eh? But when you understand our new (true) nature--the love nature--and when you understand that love never fails because love endures, that's when you begin to see that there really IS a more excellent way. And that Way (and that Truth, and that Life) is Jesus. That way... is love. Standing in grace. Letting people be who they are and loving them anyway. Being still and knowing that HE is God. Letting God do what God is going to do in you, and through you, and as you. Not running around like a chicken with your head cut off trying to be someone you're not, or trying to do something that you aren't called to do. But simply walking in your calling. Remember what God told Moses after Moses told the people of Israel to stand still? God told them to move forward! That's what standing still and letting God fight for us does. It allows us to go upward and Godward. Because the truth of the matter is, since Jesus fought (and won) the war to end all wars... the only fight left for us is the good fight of faith. Laying hold of eternal life. Receiving the gift we've been given by believing that we've been given it! By giving it away. Receiving it and releasing it. Receiving it BY releasing it. Stand still by moving forward. The upside down, backwards Kingdom economy. Move forward by standing still. Keep your head when others are losing theirs. Let the peace of God--that passes understanding--keep your heart and mind. In other words: It doesn't have to make sense. Let me say that again: It doesn't have to make sense. When you know (and believe) that the fire in you is hotter than the fire you're in, you won't have to worry about how hot it gets. Like those three Hebrew boys you'll find that the only thing the fire does is burn off your bonds. Because the fire... is God. He is the consuming fire. So instead of trying to burn people to the ground when we feel like they've done us wrong, we can be still. We can let ourselves be totally consumed by God's love, and we can let that love that's inside come out. Naturally. I don't think we necessarily have to go with the fight or flight option anymore. Because we have a new nature. We can go with the love option. And we can make love our first choice instead of our last chance. We can start with love, and end with love, and let love be everything in between. Jesus IS the Alpha and Omega, after all. And when love is where we begin, and end... when love is where we live, because our house is built on the Rock... that's called being still. Not looking for something from without, but giving from what's within. And that's how God is exalted. Not when we shove Him down people's throats when we try to scare them straight. But when we love the hell out of them. People see God when they see love. Because God IS love. So stop trying so hard to be someone you're not. Stop trying so hard to get something you think you haven't got. Just be who you are. Who you REALLY are. Who you are in Christ... which is who Christ is in you. Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in YOUR flesh. Love in YOUR body. Be still. Let that love consume you. Let it fill you to overflowing and watch as it comes out and gets all over everybody you come into contact with. That's what life is--loving the people in your life. To live is to love, and to love is to live!