Psalm 46:10

NASB	NLT	VOICE
10 “Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”	10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”	10 “Be still, be calm, see, and understand I am the True God. I am honored among all nations. I am honored over all the earth.”

In the historical context of this Psalm, this is a call to trust in God’s power and quit relying on the military power and strength. We must pause to acknowledge and remember who God is, what he can do, and to trust in his Plan and timing. It’s easy to react and do things in the way we want, when we want, and how we want, and not worry about the results. We get anxious and we get panicked about the events of our lives and the events of the world. We want that control over our lives, but we need to release it. Allow yourself to release and trust God. God will free our spirits to do what he has called and created us to do, and he will focus on the details going around you.

Psalm 100:3

NASB	NLT	VOICE
3 Knowing that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.	3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.	3 Know this: the Eternal One Himself is the True God. He is the One who made us; we have not made ourselves; we are His people, like sheep grazing in His field.

God created us, we did not create ourselves. Many people believe they are the center of the universe and that everything is about them. They choose how to live, choose their boundaries, choose their values, and more. It leads to develop the concepts of pride, self-gratification, and idolatry. The struggle with this is that it’s based on the tangibility of the world. If those things ceased to exist, get destroyed, are burned – then it’s gone. They would become hopeless. The anxiety creeps in. The panic settles. The depression heightens. What would they have to live for if all their earthly possessions were gone?

When we realize that God is our creator and provider, we will want to give to others. We’re learning that God is abundant is what he gives. The mission of Jesus is to give to those in need. To treat others as God treats us. Let us give to the marginalized and provide for all of those in need.

Isaiah 7:11

NASB	NLT	VOICE
11 “Ask for a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”	11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want – as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”	11 Ask for proof, a sign from the Eternal your God. God ahead, ask anything, anything at all; it can be high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.

This is a direct invitation from God to King Ahaz through Isaiah. Ahaz was the king of Judah facing a threat of invasion from Israel and Syria. God offers Ahaz a sign to confirm that God will deliver him from this invasion. For us, it’s a reminder that God will give us the reassurance of his promises in moments of doubt. God promises are eternal, meaning they last forever through all our lives and future generations. It’s okay to have doubts. It’s okay to worry. It’s okay to be anxious. We just must not stay there. We must give those to God and allow his work and word to permeate our soul.

Isaiah 7:17

NASB	NLT	VOICE
17 The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah – the days of the king of Assyria.”	17 “Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!”	17 But it’s not all for you, either. The Eternal will bring against you, against this population, this blessed kingdom, such trouble as hasn’t been seen since the 10 northern tribes, led by Ephraim, seceded from Judah – trouble in the form of the Assyrian.

We’re picking up later in the story where God is sharing diving judgment through Isaiah to Az and the people of Judah. This judgment is a consequence of Ahaz’s lack of faith and reliance of his allies instead of solely trusting God. Now, this may feel harsh. “Why would this loving God that you talk about do this?” He’s not doing this out of anger. This is God’s response to Ahaz’s decision not to trust him. God’s not doing this out of spite but instead showing Ahaz the results of his own decisions. God will never force us to follow his plan. He has given us a choice. His word teaches us what that choice looks us and how what life will look if we do…and don’t follow it.

Next slice of Manna: Manna for the Mind #225