Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Several years ago Joyce and I were watching a Gaither Homecoming program. One of the members of the Gaither Trio at the time was Mark Lowry. He was the clown of the group. On this particular program, he was scheduled to play a piano duet with a fantastic pianist, Anthony Burger.
Anthony Burger, a gospel music pianist, had an album that was nominated for a 2006 Gospel Music Association Award. That gives you some idea of the God-given talent that he possessed. Mark, on the other hand, could hardly spell piano, much less play one.
They started their duet with Anthony burning up the key board on his piano while Mark smiled expectantly. Every time there was a pause in Anthony’s masterpiece, Mark would ask: “Now?” Anthony would shake his head. Finally Anthony nodded and said, “Now!” With that, Mark struck a single note with his index finger, then stood and bowed beside Anthony as the crowd cheered.
I feel that is only a teeny, tiny fraction of the ridiculous way we try to take pride in what we do for Jesus. Listen! It is not what we do for Jesus that makes the difference, but what He has done for us.
BE STILL: These words still echo in my mind. As a boy I was always on the go and usually talking a mile a minute. After taking it for just so long, my mother, in utter frustration, would look me directly in the eye and say these same words: “Be still!” The only difference is that she usually added the punishment that I would receive if I did not do as she said.
It is only when we are still that we are able to hear the voice of the Lord. The prophet Elijah was hiding in a cave when the Lord called to him. It was not from the violent wind, crashing storm, quaking earth or fire that God spoke to Elijah. Consider I Kings 19:12: “And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” God speaks in a still small voice and we must be still to hear Him.
WAIT PATIENTLY: I want you to know that I am not an impatient person—I just want things done right now! I am sure that none of you have that problem. Why does God delay so long in bringing deliverance? Most of the time, it is because it is for our own spiritual development.
God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. Abraham could not wait for God to act so he had a child by Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar. That son, Ishmael, became the father of the Ishmaelites. God wanted Abraham to wait patiently for the child of promise, Isaac. A father at 100 with a 90 year old wife? This was so that there would be no doubt that a miracle-working God always keeps His promises. We just have to wait patiently before Him in absolute faith.
DO NOT FRET: Perhaps the hardest thing we will ever be called upon to do is to not fret. Can I rephrase this in a very earthy manner? Don’t sweat it! That does not mean that we are to have an indifferent attitude toward the things of God. In fact it is just the opposite. We are to place everything in His hands and leave them there.
Let me conclude this look at Psalm 37 with the words of the apostle Peter. In I Peter 5:6-7 we read: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil