ThoughtSeeds

God says a lot about rest in the Bible. One of His promises made to His people in Exodus 33 was that He would go with them into the Promised Land -- and He would give them rest. Rest does not only mean sleep, it also means to establish, to be free from anxiety, to have peace of mind, and so much more.

There are many variations of this encouraging and faith-bolstering hymn, from Civil Rights versions to old gospel style. Its message strengthens resolve and gives hope to the singer and hearer alike. "I shall not be moved." If you are standing steady on the Cornerstone rock that is Jesus Christ, and you've allowed Him to plant the roots of your life in the rich soil next to the water of life that is His Word, you can truly say, "I shall not be moved." Whatever storms try to buffet you and blow you away, your foundation is secure and your roots are deep. The storms make you stronger and they grow your roots deeper. In Christ, you truly shall not be moved.

Psalm 1 gives us great picture contrasts of a life lived for God versus a life lived in wicked opposition to Him. The one who follows God, obeys Him, and delights in His Word is "like a tree, planted by streams of water . . ." Trees grow deep roots and taller and stronger as wind buffets them. Through storms, however, that root system keeps them in place. They do not move from where they are rooted. If we are rooted in our God and His Word, we will not move or be shaken, either.

God refers to Himself as our refuge and our strength, and He describes Himself as a "very present" help in trouble. As all those things, we do not need to be afraid or in turmoil, even if the entire earth crumbles into nothing around us. Jesus says He is in the midst of us and we will not be moved as we steady ourselves and build our lives on Him as the cornerstone.

God has been our help in the past, and He is our hope and our help in the days ahead. Just as the Protestants of England faced uncertain times and potential loss of religious freedoms in the early 1700s, we also live in uncertain times, with many of our freedoms teetering precariously. Isaac Watts wrote "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" as a hymn of comfort and assurance as a response to the chaos of his time. 300 years later, these words still offer truth and hope, because Jesus Christ does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

When God directed Joshua to lead the people of Israel across the Jordan River and into Canaan, the first giant they faced was the heavily fortified city of Jericho. With retaining walls and towering city walls that had houses built right into them, this fortress was impossible for them to penetrate of their own accord. They needed God to slay this giant, and He absolutely did. What giants do you face in your own life? Fear? A broken marriage? Addictions? Whatever your giants are, God is waiting for you to hand over the reins of control so He can conquer them for you. The Lord is mighty in battle!

https://answersingenesis.org/archaeology/the-walls-of-jericho/

The people of Israel allowed fear of physical giants to keep them from their Promised Land, despite God's assurance that He was going to fight their battles. David, hundreds of years later, however, did the opposite. Armed with the courage of the Lord of hosts, he went out to face the giant terrorizing the armies of the living God. Boldly, he stated that the battle was the Lord's, and that God would deliver the Goliath into his hands that very day. His faith and courage were correctly placed -- God DID fight the battle and slay the giant. God tells us that His Holy Spirit living in us is greater than the spirit of the enemy in the world. He tells us not to be afraid, but to have courage -- He is still the slayer of giants.

At an evangelistic meeting of the famous preacher, Dwight L. Moody, a young man stood up and said "I am not quite sure -- but I will trust, and I will obey." Nobody knows who that young man was, but his words stuck with Moody's songleader, who wrote them down and shared them with a friend. Together, they wrote this enduring hymn, encouraging millions for the past 130+ years to trust, and to obey.

The opposite of obedience is disobedience, and God has a lot to say about that, too. Our first line of defense against disobedience is to "take every thought captive to obey Christ." We are not in a physical battle, but a daily spiritual battle. Testing our thoughts against the Word of God helps us determine if we're being attacked and drawn into disobedience. If we stop thoughts that don't line up with Scripture right in their tracks, we're kept from harming ourselves or others with words or actions.

Obedience. Does that word leave a sour taste in your mouth, or make you squirm uncomfortably in your seat? Obedience isn't always fun, but obeying God doesn't mean the ruining of your life. No, in fact, the opposite is true! God says if we obey Him and follow His commands, He has abundant blessings for us!