Know That He Is God

We read newspapers and magazines and blogs, and we watch TV and listen to radio, and all this efficient media surveys our culture and tells us that "America is a Christian nation."  To some, those are comforting words to hear.  To others, not so much.  And to a third group of people, perhaps a statement like that is puzzling.  I might fall into that third group.

It may be true that a majority of Americans will self-identify themselves as Christians.  We meet this people in all walks of American life too.  They're not afraid to say, "I believe in God."  In fact, some of them will proudly proclaim that truth as if it were a defining point in their life.  And perhaps it is.  But somehow I doubt it.  I've blogged before on the difference between believing in God and submitting to or obeying Him.  Let's face it, even the demons believe in God.  They just don't want to submit to or obey Him. 

But the character and nature of God are relevant when it comes to our beliefs.  Jesus said that if we love Him we will obey Him.  (John 14:15-21)  In fact, Jesus said our obedience to Him is the evidence of our true relationship with Him.  Those who don't obey Him are those who don't love Him.  (John 14:24)
So it comes down to this, those who know Him will obey Him.  And those who obey Him are those who love Him. 

For some reason, it seems that mankind gets this wrong.  A lot.  I have been reading in the Old Testament, some of the prophecies of Ezekiel.  (He's the prophet God called to warn the Israelites of their impending destruction because of their unending sin and rebellion against God.)  At any rate, I have to admit that sometimes when I'm reading this it can get a little tedious.  I mean it seems as if God just rants and raves on and on, saying the same thing over and over and over again.  I'm sure the repetition is for emphasis.  It's clear God wants to communicate clearly with the Israelites. 

One of the phrases that I see God using quite often is a simple little phrase.  It usually starts with "Then they will ...." or "Then you will ..."  And the sentence is always finished with words to the effect of, "... know that I am the Lord" or "... know that I am God."  Quite honestly, this phrase caught my interest and I began to notice how often God said it.  I was shocked by what I found.

In the book of Exodus, God says nine (9) different times, " ... know that I am the Lord" or something to that effect.  He does it once in the book of Deuteronomy, twice in the book of 1 Kings, and twice in the book of Isaiah.  (This is just my own counting.  There could be even more instances that I missed.)  But the book where God says this the most is in the book of Ezekiel.  There, God says "... know that I am the Lord" at least fifty (50) times!  My goodness, it seems to be a point that He really wants us to take note of!

So why is it so important for God to teach us to "know that He is God?"  I mean, is there a difference between believing in God and knowing God?  Of course there is!  And that is just the point.  We humans, especially in American culture, seem content to believe in God.  I know, I know ... sometimes we're told that's all that's required for entrance to heaven.  ("All you gotta do is believe!")

But it seems pretty clear to me that "All you gotta do is believe!" is not quite a true statement.  There is substantially more that you "gotta do."  If you and I expect God to honor His covenant and welcome us into the Kingdom of Heaven, we're going to have to do more than believe in God.  Rather that belief in us must compel us to seek Him and know Him.

I liken this to the existence of martians or the Loch Ness monster.  You and I may believe that they exist.  But if we really thought they did, we would be compelled to go find them, observe them, etc.  I visited the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC once, and was able to put my bare fingers on moon rock.  It was truly "not of this world."  The interesting thing was that people were lined up for hours to be able to put their finger on a sliver of actual rock from the moon.  That's what true belief does.  It compels curiosity and a seeking. 

Similarly, many of us like this or that.  We have hobbies ... things that bring us joy.  And what do we do?  We seek those things out?  If they're experiences, like fishing or dining out or camping ... we seek to do them often.  We believe that they are good things.  We believe that they are pleasurable and good for us.  And so we seek them.  Belief compels us to action.

And so it is with God.  It is never enough to say that you "believe in God."  Like I said earlier, even the demons can get that far!  But the differentiator here is what you do with that belief.  Is it an intellectual knowledge, arrived at with logic?  Or is it a heartfelt instinct, arrived at with experience?  Any belief in God must move its holder to seek Him, to experience Him and to love Him.  And when that love is real, it will manifest itself in our obeying Him.  For when we know Him and love Him, that's when we obey Him.  And like He says so many times in Ezekiel, "... then you will know that I am God."

Serving God

If you're any kind of a Christian (i.e., with any solid commitment to Christ), you probably have some desire to do "the work of the Lord." We've all thought it. Some of us have said it. A few of us have declared our "calling" and made a bold statement about what we think God wants of us. To be sure, serving God is a noble cause. Doing God's work here on earth is something that all Christians really should aspire to.

But what does it mean to really serve God with one's life? I suspect many people would be surprised. It doesn't mean running a church. It doesn't mean writing songs. It doesn't mean starting an orphanage, or working in a soup kitchen. Serving God doesn't require one to adopt orphans, nurse the sick or give large percentages of your wealth. You don't need to bake pies for the church fund raiser, or be pen pals with those in prison.

So what does God want from us? What sort of work is that truly pleases God most. Ironically, it isn't work that pleases God at all. You see, the work we do to show the love of Christ to the world around us should ideally just be a by-product of what really wants. God doesn't want our work. (The Bible uses the term works - to denote all the sorts of things I mentioned above.) Rather God wants our surrender, our submission, our obedience.

We often hear the phrase in our modern culture, "Whatever!" This is precisely what God wants from His people. Whatever He says. Whatever He commands. Whatever He asks. The Lord God wants hearts that are so yielded to Him that we are willing to do whatever --- with no exceptions. We don't get to know all the things in whatever before we agree to it either. That wouldn't be a yielded heart!

Many times we are so in love with God that we want to go out and save the world. We are certain that with God's help we surely can (save the world) too. Those of us who are less sincere in our faith, may feel guilt or other emotions (like wanting approval) that drive us to do good works. But here's the thing: whatever motivates us to good works in God's name is probably wrong.

Absolutely nothing should motivate us to do good works in God's name. Rather it is our unconditional yielding to God's will that will bring about good works (also called fruit). So rather than sit and think of things we can do for God, we need to get to know God.

Psalm 46:10 tells us “Be still, and know that I am God.” God’s people are commanded to “be still” in this verse. The imperative gives a solemn duty to those in a covenant relationship with God — Israel in the Old Testament, but today, it is given to Christians,

What does it mean when God’s own are commanded to “be still”? The injunction is not given to restrict the mobility of God’s people. The duty represents a spiritual disposition that ought to characterize those to whom God’s unfailing promises have been given.

Sadly, there are those who are far from “still”; they “do all the work” and give God some (maybe) of the credit. They believe that by “lifting up their hands” and by “taking courage,” they can survive and thrive by the sweat of their own brow. They can do it all on their own, without any divine dependence.

Here is the irony in this term “be still.” While we must take the initiative to fulfill our responsibilities and live our lives, the uncertainties of living in a world of sin and woe will continually challenge us. Personal initiative is no substitute for reliance upon God.

This command — “be still” — forces us to think on two things: that we are finite, and that God is infinite. That being the case, we need to drop our hands, go limp, relax, and “chill out.” Christian people must take time to come and behold the works, nature and character of God. We do this so that we may enjoy a calm confidence in him who gave us his Son.

This spiritual calm, that God commands, does not come from a lack of troubles; it derives from a steady, deep reflection on the ways God has intervened in history on behalf of his people. And it certainly doesn’t come from one who stays busy serving God. Busy-ness does not produce this spiritual calmness.

So as the world crumbles around us, the call from Scripture is not to get busy and try to save the world from itself. Rather the command is to stand strong --- but stand still — not because of a self-made confidence, not because you are the most composed person in the face of disaster, not because “you’ve seen it all.” Be still because of what you know about God.

It is “God’s past” that provides calm for “our future.” Know that he is God! Know it, not merely intellectually, but practically, spiritually, and emotionally. He is your God. He is the ruler of kingdoms of this earth and the all-powerful Creator of the Universe.

If you are the last man or woman standing, be still. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth will change.

True Christ-followers will not be out trying to do all the things they can think of to serve God. Rather they will be still, prepared to do whatever He asks them to, whenever He asks them to.