Continuing to talk about stillness here… But we’re also expectant in our stillness.
We are hopeful. We are still but we are alert for the Word of the Lord, and/or for the moves He makes.
We are ready and alert, because we have the mind of Christ.
But at the same time, we are at peace, because all this time we are with Him, and we are at rest.
We went through a Psalm, but I also thought we’d also go through the Proverbs of the day. And as usual, I’m not going to paste all of the verses here, but I will go ahead and share what ‘jumps out’ to me in this season.
1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5
Off the bat, we’re seeing some perspectives on the value of our staying still and waiting on the Lord… and these are from different angles than what I’m used to.
Because, sure, we’re waiting on the Lord’s words, but I’m still used to thinking those were words of command – here, we’re brought to consider – couldn’t the Words just be those of wisdom, discernment and understanding?
It’s just so profound for me now to take in that sometimes, our Father actually speaks to us, to impart wisdom. To bestow meaningful knowledge. Our Father is also our Teacher.
And did you catch that? We abide in our Father, and in our spending time with Him and/or being aware of His presence in all that goes on in our lives, we understand more of how great and glorious He is (the proper fear of the Lord)… and we are brought more and more into what He wills, and what knowledge He has.
It just matches with how Paul says we are transformed by the renewing of our mind, and how we have the mind of Christ – or, let me put it all together:
In these moments we are still, and we abide in Him. We are washed by His Word, and filled with His Spirit. We are in awe in His presence, we find the knowledge of God, and our minds are being renewed, the more we realize we have the mind of Christ. As such, our entire being is transformed, and we are being brought from glory to glory, upon a path that grows brighter and brighter unto the new day.
TL;DR We are still, we abide, we learn, we are renewed, we are transformed.
How’d I do?
Let’s keep going.
10 When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths;
16 To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God.Proverbs 2:10-17
First, notice how as we learn, not only are we renewed and consequently transformed… But, also, as we learn, as we are taught, we are preserved and we are kept, and we are delivered.
I’m imagining how creatures are most vulnerable in their metamorphosis… so it’s just God’s loving nature for us to be protected as we are transformed and renewed. In Christ, one comes with the other. Our good Father does not take any chances.
Second, see how we’re not protected from calamities, but from people – from liars, those who deliberately seek the darkness. We’re protected from the perverse, the crooked and the devious, who take joy in doing all that leads to death. We’re protected from people – from the immoral, the ‘seductress who flatters with her words‘.
See that they ‘leave the paths of uprightness‘, they ‘walk in the ways of darkness‘, they ‘forsake the companion of (their) youth‘, ‘(forgetting) the covenant of (their) God‘.
This tells me that the Holy Spirit calls us to be still, and to abide with Christ, and to wait on the Lord – not only in this season, but throughout our walk with Christ.
I also see that we are protected, not only from harm, but also from being led astray and/or away – Fortunately, I also take heart, knowing that from a New Testament perspective, Christ has guaranteed that nothing can separate us from the Father’s love and presence, and the Holy Spirit continually convicts us, so we continue to abide in Him.
All in all, I’m reminded of the great value of our righteousness – that is, our right-standing with God, and the privilege of forever being in His presence.
Through Christ, we are set on the paths of uprightness. We are not in the ways of darkness, nor are our ways crooked and devious. Christ has brought us into a New Covenant for our absolute redemption.
For us, therefore, to plead for the presence of the Lord to be upon those who we pray for… well, it goes far beyond what I imagine. It’s protection, it’s preservation, it’s transformation, it’s salvation.
And I think, as we are still, and as we pray, a powerful point for us to continue to cry out to the Lord for is His presence upon our loved ones, and upon all who come to our mind. Because apparently, the enemy is as a roaring lion, and his victims roar just the same, with the intent of deceiving the rest of the world to rejecting the Father’s love, and avoiding the Father’s presence.
As we stay still, let us continue to exercise our authority as a royal priesthood, and as sons and daughters of the Most High – let us partner with the Holy Spirit in proclaiming grace and Truth, freedom from sin, death and the flesh.
All for the unity of the Body, for the expansion of His Kingdom, and for the utmost glory of His Name.
Amen.
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