Copyright © 1997 Peter Wade.
From the book, You Are A New Creation, now back in print as "In Christ: A New Creation".
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You Are A New Creation
by Peter Wade
4. Guidance and the New Creation
There are eight words in the Psalms that have wrapped within them a significant truth and are worthy of our interest and study as New Creation people.
Be still, and know that I am God
(Psalm 46:10a). What a fascinating concept, to "Be still, and know." Many at first thought would expect the verse to read, "Be stirred and feel that I am God," or even "Be startled, and fear that I am God." A good number of committed Christians would expect God to say, "Pray, and know that I am God" or even "Read My Word, and know that I am God."
Yet the command is clear and the translation is adequate, "Be still, and know that I am God." Why has God brought these two actions together? There is nothing wrong in being still; there is nothing wrong in knowing. And brought together, these two actions produce an evidence of God in our midst, of a God at hand with watchful care over us. The relationship demands enquiry.
The conscious action of being still somehow makes it easier for us to know that God is right with us. This truth is perhaps even more necessary today than when it was written. In the society in which we live, most of us are chasing all over the place, busier than a bee, and we fail to "tune in" to God. Forgetting that we may be just one idea away from success, ignoring the advantage of having One give us expert advice, we go charging on our way and wonder why we fail to get the results that God's Word promises.
A Christian believer who is filled with the power of God and is thus tapped into the unlimited resources of God, needs to get still, to get quiet, and recognise the guidance that is freely offered to him or her. There is really no magic or metaphysical "mumbo-jumbo" in receiving guidance from God. I am convinced that such guidance is being showered upon us every moment of the day. The problem is that we do not recognise it or make a conscious effort to receive the offered direction.
The complete book is back in print as "In Christ: A New Creation"!
Copyright © 1984 Peter Wade. Revised 1997. The Bible text in this publication, except where otherwise indicated, is from the New International Version (NIV), Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. This article appears on the site: http://www.inchristclassics.com/.
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