Be still.....and know.

 

Mar 9^th 2025, 1st Sunday in Lent.

Last week we looked at what Jesus says in John 15 about staying in accord with him. The result is clear. We become doers, and grow beyond talk, which is always easily done. 1^st lesson! To learn about people, and possibly the most important, about politicians. Look at actions, don’t listen to words. By contrast, Jesus said very little. But he did amazing life-changing stuff.

2^nd, we learn to control and manage our lives - our strengths, our weaknesses, our fears. And this is of critical importance. Again and again we hear it said in scripture, do not fear. We do not wait for events. We are ready for them. A steady linear upward growth, as versus the traditional forgiven sinner identity, which in many ways stays happy but is also hapless, and often easily manipulated. Just satisfied that there is always forgiveness of sin, of failure. Not wrong, but just very incomplete.

This is what Jacob’s Ladder is about – bringing both scripture and Spirit into real functionality in our lives! Kinda took me all my life! From the perspective of John 15, 3:16 is just the first step, no more. Individual accord with Jesus is not necessarily inherent in the social and corporate identity and function that a church group provides. That is tied to socio-political circles of income and so forth. Rather, I am speaking of a daily individual constant, dependent only on your relationship with Jesus.

And the next step? This week, John 1:1ff; Psalm 46:10; Matt 5:16, 44.

John 1:12 ff is subtle. John expands on the Genesis confession in a different perspective of light – the Light of Jesus. Jesus has always been there; everything that has been created has been created through him. Think about that for a moment. Genesis says we are created from clay, the dust of the ground, and unto that dust we shall return. But that ‘we’ is not a complete reference and only refers to our physical bodies. God breathed life into dust and clay and created man. And at death, the clay disintegrates, but the life returns to God. As Jesus said, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. Remember?

And then Matthew 5 , verses16 & 44. In making all of creation, God is in creation, everywhere. We feel God’s beauty and strength when we look at mountains, seas, and all of nature. God sustains life. In the very same way, God sustains us, God’s pre-eminent creation. God creates all things, sustains all things, pours energy into all things – the tide, the waves, the wind. And also upon each one of us. This is what Matt 5:44 speaks to. For God pours love upon all of creation, and upon each one of us. Does not scripture say Ask and ye shall receive? Ask then, every day, in a prayer of thanksgiving, and you will receive enough love, enough energy for the day’s needs. God will give. Ask in faith, believing. God pours his sun and his rain upon his creation, all of it, with love. Take and use. It is the true communion of love fairly given to all. And what you do with it makes a difference. Like the parable of the talents, those who use their gifts well find increased blessing. Those who don’t, slouch into the path of Ahab and Jezebel, slowly but surely.

And then Psalm 46 vs 10 instructs us. Being still is a disciplined practice. It is you and God, your quiet space, undisturbed. No movement of mind, but just an unthinking quietness, and no movement of bodily distraction. Learning how to ignore all of the little things that distract, enables us to focus on the Spirit, and only can we truly see and hear. We just have to put everything aside first. And keep at it. And we will get better at such discipline and control. And you will know for yourself, for knowing exceeds feeling. Feelings come and go, but the knowing remains. I learned this when I learned as a young Minister to pray for the energy I needed to pray for others! And I have a terrible brain, it keeps jumping from one thing to the other, into any and all related and associated things. Really frustrating. But when you persist in learning to quiet yourself, you will feel and know the difference. In Christian history, the best examples of this are seen in the lives of many Catholic saints. They learned through experience that God is always near. And Jesus’ love in our lives is life-changing! It is the fullness of the abundant spiritual life.  We cannot see what God sees, but we can intuitively know what is right vs that which is wrong. Follow the right action, do what you can, do what you must, and leave the rest in God’s hands. It will work out.

And so we get the result of Matt 5:16. When you get these things even a little right, like mustard seed sized faith, you will see what a difference it makes to your energy, your presence, your ability to encourage and help others. In a time of darkness, light is not overshadowed. You are a part of that light, so go forth and let it shine. This Lent, work on the temple that is your body and the light that is your spirit. Build it some, and let it shine a little more brightly in a time of wicked darkness, And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you, always. G.