24 July 2017 - still life

Today's Readings

He said to them in reply,
"An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

This is not unusual for us, either. We often say that we want signs just to put off something we already recognize. We look for signs to shift the focus from our hearts to the world. God does give signs to those who genuinely need them and ask for them sincerely. But he does not humor those who are looking to avoid making a decision about him. Signs are ultimately unconvincing to such individuals anyway. Many of us hear and know in our Spirit that Jesus is asking us to follow him more closely. He is asking us to turn from sin more, to love more, to let him live in us more. We do not need to authenticate such requests with signs. Yet we still ask, hoping to put off the change we know we should make.

We ask for signs because we are afraid to change. Or we ask for them because the change we have begun seems impossible. But rather than signs we need stillness in order to let the LORD work.

These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.
The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still.

There is always an Egyptian army after us. The flesh always wars with the Spirit. When we see them we want to demand proof that we can win, or else run the other way. The odds are clearly not in our favor. But it is at such times and facing such battles that we must still ourselves and trust in God. We know he called us out of Egypt. We know that we can trust him. His wisdom will not lead us astray.

At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.

We're so eager to bring about victory through our own wisdom, ideas, and actions. We feel the need to maintain control at all times. Waiting on signs from God can be a manifestation of this need for control. But control in the face of this army will not help. And we are not fast enough to run. Our only option is trusting God.

I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.