Koinonia: November Edition

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. Psalm 46

I was in New York City a few weeks ago. True to the largest city in the worlds reputation, it is a city that never sleeps. The roads are always congested and there is constant flow of people walking from one block to the next. There are tourists trying to take in the sites, small business owners trying to make a profit in an extremely competitive market, homeless folks trying to survive the streets, kids riding the (subway) train home from school, and folks just trying to live out their lives in place that offers very little personal space.

New York could be a really hard place to find our ‘center.’ To find time to cease striving, be still, and let our fur down. Between crowded subway cars, glimmering billboards and street lights, blaring car horns, and a river of people moving both directions fast, it can be hard to find time to just be. But then again, in this age of rapidly advancing technology, we can all find ourselves that busy no matter where we live.

Most of us always have an email to respond to, a text message to send, or a call to make. For today the expectation is immediate response. We’ve been conditioned not to wait for each other, and so naturally we do the same with the Lord. Yet the Lord is very clear that waiting is all part of His plan. Most things don’t happen instantaneously; they happen God time.

We don’t have to look any further than our own church experience to see that truth. We’d all like for things to happen more quickly, to just get settled and start growing tangible fruit so that we feel for certain that we are on the right path. But God is still working the soil, working our hearts. He is still working behind the scenes and preparing things in His order, just as He does in our personal dealings. So may we resist the temptation to be constantly busy and constantly either expecting a response or offering one of our own. May we cease striving and know that God is in control. May we be still and move in harmony with His rhythm, and not the rhythm of the world.

-- Pastor Justin