Week 2 - Coming to God without solutions

Sacred Insight: What’s the intention?
As you read, considering the context, determine the intention behind the author’s words. Name all that apply: 1. To show us His truth, 2.To expose our human rebellion 3. To correct our mistakes, or 4. To train us to live like Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Last week, we covered the Israelites’ predicament as they followed Moses in search of the Promised Land. We learned how, despite their insurmountable odds of survival, their lives were spared because Moses had faith and God had a plan.

Yet, in their wildest dreams, the Israelites never could have imagined the way God would intervene. That’s kind of the point: Our imaginations are limited by what we know to be possible. We are bound by the physical laws of this universe.

But here’s the great news. God isn’t. God invented, imagined and created all of it – our concept of time… the law of gravity… all that mind-blowing scientific math that we understand our immense galaxy by and, well, everything else. That said, he has the power to alter all of it. He is limited by… nothing.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Psalm 8:3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set iplace, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Here’s the thing, though. Even though we know that God has the kind of power that can part a sea, when faced with our own problems our minds still refuse to let go. Is it just me, or, when you pray, do you include a handy list of suggestions for God? We don’t just pray our problems, we pray our solutions, too. That’s not what our scripture asks us to do though, does it? Shockingly, God doesn’t actually need our suggestions – He asks us to simply trust him and know that He will fight our battles for us.

How do we know this? Because the Bible tells us so. Think of the many miracles that prove the ingenuity and power of our God – A man born blind from birth spontaneously gaining sight? Water turned into fine wine as it’s being poured? A sea opening up to allow the passage of an entire group of people? None of it makes sense and none of it stemmed from a human suggestion – it was all God.

Isaiah 55:8-9. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts and neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

I think God solves problems sometimes in miraculous and outlandish ways just to show us two things:

His power and authority
The real meaning of faith.

God’s Power and Authority

Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

When God parted of the Red Sea, he not only saved the lives of the Israelites and provided a solution to their dilemma, He also demonstrated his absolute authority – over not just our problems and our enemies (in the Israelites’ case, the Egyptian army), but also over the very forces of nature.

We see evidence of this multiple times throughout scripture.

Remember that time Jesus was in a boat with his disciples and a fierce storm threatened to capsize them? Jesus was so confident of his authority that he slept though the whole thing until his freaked out friends shook him awake begging for help. Here’s what he did, like it was nothing..

Mark 4:39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

The real meaning of faith

When we think of faith, we tend to think of things we do. We think faith means praying, reading our Bible, serving others, etc. Those are good things. But what did God say in our scripture? He said simply to be still.

To be still.

It’s hard to think of being still as an act of faith, but it’s actually one of the most courageous acts of faith there are because it requires 100% reliance on God. It means putting down our weapons, silencing our words and knowing that God doesn’t actually need our help. Ouch. Our stillness is defiance in the face of a culture that believes that we don’t need anyone or anything -that we can fix things on our own, #thankyouverymuch.

But we know that this is the farthest thing from the truth. We not only need God 24/7, but we need him to fight the battles that leave us speechless.

Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

It’s amazing how a short little verse, so sparse in words can teach us about God’s authority as well as our own faith. As you go into your week, find moments of stillness. Try not to talk or think. Just bask in the love and goodness of the Father and know that he is fighting our battles.

Be still and know that I am God.

What is the intention of our scripture (name all that apply): 1. To show us His truth, 2.To expose our human rebellion 3. To correct our mistakes, or 4. To train us to live like Jesus.

How would knowing that God’s solutions are vastly superior to our own solutions change the way you pray?

Live It Out:

Be a Listener. Make an intentional effort to listen deeply to the voice of the Holy Spirit in your quiet time with God. Focus on being fully present rather than speaking. Do this with the people around you, as well. You never know who may have a word from God meant just for your ears.