Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day

Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the Earth.  Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

On the on the 11^th Hour on the 11^th November (11^th month) in 1918 the guns fell silent across the battlefields of Europe, a silence prevailed after fours years of noise and conflict.  This day and time was originally called Armistice Day and was universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in the war, as well as those injured and their families.

The verse in Psalm 46 is part of a Psalm which speaks of how God is with us however we need to ‘be still’ and allow Him to protect us.  The Hebrew word used here is raphah which means to sink into, relax, drop your hands or let go of your weapons.  It is a ‘command’ given to stop fighting God’s sovereign plan with our own panic, anxiety and effort.  We need to be willing to stop and let him take control.

Psalm 37:7 speaks of resting (damam) in the Lord which is to be silent or wait patiently.  In Exodus 14:14 the Israelites are told to be still and that the Lord would fight for them.  In 1 Kings 19, Elijah finds that God speaks to him in a voice of sheer silence, Elijah has to stop storming and pause and listen.  Being still does not mean doing nothing and it does not mean emptying your mind, it is an active word not passive.

So, take a moment on Remembrance Day to pause and be still, to first remember Christ’s sacrifice for us, to remember those who fought for freedom, those who have been wounded and the families of all service personnel.  Take a moment to pray for peace – shalom – which means to be wholly unified with God and others.

Godspeed

Steve – MCF Chair