Rest. Quiet. Confidence.

"Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength." Isaiah 30:15
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I've been thinking about the nation Israel--camped outside of Jericho--waiting to face the first HUGE challenge in their quest to possess the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. (Joshua 5-6) What was it like to wander for forty years, fully aware the promise awaited them, but not have the green flag to go in and take it? What was it like to grumble about the provision of manna--miraculous in nature, to be sure, but not pleasing to the taste buds. Did they notice their clothing and shoes didn't wear out through those forty years of walking in the hot desert sun? Each day God's quiet miracles sustained them.

They were victorious in battle over more powerful, better-equipped armies. They grumbled over the desire for comfort. A pattern. Victory. Grumble. Victory. Complain.

Epiphany! I do the same thing. Do you? A big threat looms in my life and I go to the LORD with my need. He meets it in a way that lifts me to the mountaintop. Praise flows from my heart. Then I experience a small need, one I think I can handle. When the outcome disappoints me, what do I do? Grumble my dissatisfaction. I may not think I'm complaining to God, but who else hears what is in my heart and mind?

I fret and examine what went wrong. My thoughts give me no rest. Then God nudges me with reminders from His word. Return. Rest. Faithful is He who promises, who also will do it.

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't He also give us everything else?" Romans 8:31-32

God has done the most for us. He gave His Son as the perfect sacrifice so we could be His children. Since He has done for us what cost Him the most, can we not trust Him to meet the lesser needs? In returning to this place of surrender and reliance on Him we have rest. He stills our hearts and gives us peace. We have quiet confidence in Him, not ourselves. And we can wait...and obey...and receive faith's reward.

by Marilyn Allison