When You Are Looking for Change - Your Nightly Prayer - January 13th
Your Nightly Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Rev. Kyle Norman, Crosswalk.com
When You Are Looking for Change
Your Nightly Prayer
by Kyle Norman
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” - Exodus 14:13
SOMETHING TO PONDER
The life of faith doesn’t run on the course of ease or predictability, nor does God limit God’s will to what fits into our plans. God often leads us to places where we would rather not go and places us in situations beyond our control. This makes it clear that we live our lives of faith in reliance upon God’s power.
Still, this can be a hard thing to experience, can’t it? And it can cause us to long for changes in our lives. Sometimes our desire for change comes from a want of something new and exciting. But sometimes it’s because we are walking through a hardship, a turmoil, or a difficulty. And when that comes, praying for a change that we don’t seem to see take hold can be a difficult experience.
That is where Israel finds itself. Right from the start, the way of liberation didn’t look like they thought it would. They were barely out of the Egyptian borders when the easy road to the Promised Land became anything but. Not only was the larger, stronger, and now angrier Egyptian Army falling in close behind them, but they were also heading straight towards the Red Sea, with no indication as to how they were going to cross it.
There they were, water before them, and weapons behind them. Can you really blame Israel for wanting things to change? Can you blame them for being anxious, afraid, and confused?
But Moses speaks to them a hopeful word. “Don’t be afraid,” he says, “stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Be still. Long before the Psalmist wrote the famous words “Be still and know that I am God”, Moses said these words to Israel. Yet the call to be still is more than a request to be serene and contemplative. We often think that stillness is about exiting the franticness of life. Stillness occurs when we can leave the clamour of life and breathe deeply. When our life seems straightforward or uncomplicated, then stillness becomes easy; we close our eyes, take a deep breath, and be still and know that God is there.
But that can be hard to do when everything within us is looking for a change in circumstance. When our life seems so turned around that we long for redemption, serene contemplation is often the hardest thing to do. But stillness, the way Moses speaks of it, isn’t about contemplative prayer. Stillness is about acknowledging our need for God to do what we can never do for ourselves.
Moses calls the Israelites to stillness in the place of chaos and fear. When they felt at their wits' end, or literally at the end of the road, they were called to trust that God would indeed fight for them. They were too daring to believe that they were surrounded by God’s promises and purposes. Stillness was about giving their situation over to the God who had promised to redeem them and save them.
Is there a change that you’re looking for, hoping for, or praying for? No one can tell you when that change will come, but you can trust that the Lord is there for you. You can trust that when you don’t know what to do, the Lord does; and God has promised to fight for you, to lead you, and to provide for you. You simply need to be still.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Gracious Lord,
Your word reminds me that you do not change like shifting shadows. Your love for me is faithful and true. I reach out to you in this moment. I ask that your power might be revealed in my life. May you open doors for me that I cannot open myself; may you provide healing that I can’t find in this world, may your Spirit lead me and guide me on the path that you have set for me.
In this place, I quiet my strivings, and I turn to you. I look to you as my helper, protector, redeemer, and guide. I hand to you this day, and the next.
Lord, you know that there are places in my life where I look for a change. But more than those changes, Lord, I look to you, and dedicate my life to following your will in my life. Give the boldness of faith needed to delight in your will, and walk in the way you lead me.
I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Despite what Israel faced at the edge of the Red Sea, God’s presence surrounded them. Where do you see God’s Spirit moving in your present situation?
2. What does it mean for you to “stand firm”? How might you stubbornly affirm God’s work in your life, even if you don’t see it this moment?
3. In Exodus 14, the waters part when Israel began to step into the waters they didn’t know they could cross. How might you boldly walk in the direction you believe the Lord is leading you?
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/zamrznutitonovi
The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada. He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others. He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca. He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.
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