This year, my church’s theme is taken from two passages of Scripture, one in the Old Testament and one in the New. The first is Psalm 46:10 which says: “Be still and know that I am God.” This verse is especially applicable to those of us in ministry. If we do not know God well, we will struggle with trusting God fully and submitting ourselves to Him. Knowing God according to His Word is not only important if we are to be effective in witnessing to the lost; but it also vital as we preach to and care for the members of our churches.
For us to “be still” and not try to force or manipulate things, we must know God and His Word intimately and accurately. For us to experience His peace in our lives personally, in our families collectively, and in our ministries effectively, we must know God and His Word.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:—Isaiah 26:3–4
Faith is essential to having peace, which is important to our wellbeing emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. We know theologically, that if we have peace with God and the peace of God in us, it will help us be effective in experiencing more peace in our relationships with others here on earth.
The other verse our theme comes from is Mark 4:39 where Jesus slept in the boat while the disciples feared for their lives because of a storm. They forgot that Jesus had said, “Let us go to the other side.” They forgot the miracles they had already seen Jesus do, and they did not know the Jesus who was with them in the boat well enough. The evidence of their lack of knowing Him accurately and fully is found in verse 41 when they asked, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The more we know the Lord, the more we will rest in His ability to take care of whatever situations come our way in life.
In our own lives personally, in our families lives collectively, and in our ministries, there are a plethora of situations that can cause us to feel inadequate and filled with fear or concern. If we are not careful, we can forget what we know to be true about God, we can forget the promises God has given us in His Word, and we can fail to benefit from the reality of the greatest hope in our lives—our Saviour.
Knowing Jesus, knowing what He has done for us, and trusting Him to meet our needs is not only important for the lost to receive salvation and forgiveness of sin; but it is also essential for believers to live biblically and effectively. I pray that each of us this year will grow in knowing our Lord deeper so we can experience His power in our lives and ministries in a greater way.
