Hope

Peace & Quiet

In the midst of the chaos of the holiday season, we talk a lot about stillness and calm. Perhaps it’s because our Christmases are anything but, we imagine the first Christmas as tranquil and serene. I’m inclined to think that this is a fabrication because if you have been around someone giving birth, usually tranquility isn’t the most apt description. Take into account the fact that immediately beforehand you had a teenage girl about to give birth and she couldn’t even get a room in the inn, and this is the makings of a chaotic night. We might like to imagine the first Christmas a a “silent night,” but I’m not sure it was.

However,  in the craziness of our lives, and in the hecticness of that very first Christmas,   there is at least one way where we can be quieted; we can be stilled with the majesty of His love. Much like a mother’s lullaby rocks a crying baby to sleep, our Father’s love can bring calm in the midst of our chaos. As He promised to a restless and rebellious city in Zephaniah 3:17:

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

If we think about it for a minute,  this verse offers some interesting juxtapositions.  He is both “mighty” and in their midst. This is the essence of the Christmas story. The One who is mighty, became lowly, and dwelt in our midst, that He might save.  Similarily, this verse says that God will both “quiet” the people and rejoice over them “with loud singing.” The One who throws a Heavenly party when a sinner repents and puts their faith in Him, will quiet a rebellious city with His deep and profound love.  His love will be our refuge – even though our circumstances might not change, we can find peace and quiet with Him.

The busyness of the holiday season, is quickly replaced by the busyness of other seasons. The chaos of our current circumstances is subsumed by the chaos of what comes next. But God offers respite. God provides rest. With the stillness and the completeness of His mighty love.

 

How have you experienced the quietness of God’s love?

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Growth Hope

Confidence in God’s Choices

Confidence is a subject that we talk a lot about. We admire people with a lot of self-confidence and we want to nurture that same quality in our children. We discuss the confidence that we have in the stock market, the job market, or our political leaders. Confidence is important because without it, there is often anxiety and worry. Where we lack confidence is often the point of our failure.

Confidence is usually created because of what someone or something does. We have confidence in the stock market when it shows stable growth. We have confidence in our political leaders when they make policies that benefit our country. The action or activity precedes the expression of confidence. We hold that confidence just as long as the consequences for that actions seem beneficial. This is why politicians so carefully pander to their constituents; trust can be a fleeting thing.

Of course, there is One in whom we can always have confidence because we know that, unlike political leaders and economic policies, He is always the same. Even when things don’t seem to be working out according to His purpose, His children can be confident that they will. He is always faithful, always true to His Word.

This is what we see when we look at the lives of Shadrach, Mescach and Abednego who were true to God’s commands, because they had confidence that God would be true to Who He is.  They held this confidence regardless of whether God chose to rescue them from the fiery furnace. They knew He could, but even if He didn’t, they knew His purposes were being accomplished (Daniel 3:16-18).This consistent confidence in God became a testament not only to their faith, but to their God as well (Daniel 3:28).

It’s a great thing to have confidence in what God can do, but like the three amigos (as I like to call them), we need to also demonstrate our confidence in what God chooses. If we only focus on what He is able to do, we may be sorely disappointed when His plans fail to conform with ours. Instead, like  Shadrach, Mescach and Abednego we need to say that even if God doesn’t give us what we desire, we have confidence that His choice is better. Our confidence is not in the circumstance, but in Him.

 

How do you maintain your confidence in God even when circumstances are trying?

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