Mockingbird
New member
"And it came about that when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, 'Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.' But Elisha said, 'As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.' So they went down to Bethel. Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, 'Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?' And he said, 'Yes, I know; be still.'
"Elijah said to him, 'Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.' But he said, 'As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.' So they came to Jericho. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, 'Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?' And he answered, 'Yes, I know; be still.' " 2 Kings 2:1-5
We do not know why Elijah was asking Elisha to stay behind, but we know he did the same thing to his former servant, asking him to stay in the town of Beersheba while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness with the intention of dying. Perhaps Elijah wanted to be alone when he died, or perhaps it is more likely he was trying to lessen the sadness his death would bring to those around him. I think those of us with CF can understand this motivation. Whatever the case, unlike the previous servant, Elisha clung to Elijah's side, knowing his master was not long for this earth.
However, it is Elisha's response we are most interested in, "Yes, I know; be still." Unfortunately, we do not know what was going on inside Elisha at this time. When the sons of the prophets approached him, telling him Elijah was about to be taken away, perhaps wondering what Elisha was planning to do or even trying to offer consolation to Elisha, he responds simply, "I know, be still." This may be taken to mean Elisha was filled with faith, and he was telling the sons of the prophets to stop worrying because he was confident God was in control. However, it seems to me more likely that Elisha was not filled with faith at all, and all the time when he was telling others to be still, what he was really doing was telling himself to be still, and trying to convince himself that God was in control and that everything would indeed be okay.
I find most often when I am afraid or looking for direction the Lord's response to me is simply, "Be still." Whenever I receive bad news from the doctor, or when I want to quit my job because pain and exhaustion is making it too difficult for me; or at times when I am frustrated with my life because I cannot be doing the things my friends are doing, or I feel like I've completely missed out on so many good things because I have cystic fibrosis; or most especially at times when I am facing the loss of a friend or someone I love; whenever these things are troubling me and I turn to God for help, His reply is to be still.
Of course, this doesn't really seem to be much help at all, but in fact it does help. We are reminded of this story of Jesus, "Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.' " Luke 10:38-39.
This is what God means by saying to me, "Be still." Just like Martha, we become worried and bothered about things which seem really important to us, and we turn to God for help because we feel it is important for such things to be answered. However His answer is show us a better way than our own. There is only one thing that is necessary and it is the good part which cannot be taken away from us. Everything else is only temporary. Even when God answers a prayer and solves a worry or takes away pain we are having, the happiness we feel as a result only lasts until the next trouble comes along. However, God is teaching us a joy that will persevere through the midst of our troubles, a joy which is eternal.
Many know the legend of Horatio Spafford, who wrote the hymn, "<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm">It is Well With My Soul</a>." His family was planning a vacation in England, but Horatio had some last minute business and sent his wife and four daughters ahead. Before they were able to reach England, however, their boat collided with another and Horatio's four daughters were drowned. It was during this time of hardship that he wrote these words:
"When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea-billows roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to know:
It is well, it is well with my soul."
Now, the difficulties of CF or the loss of a child are by no means easy things to have stillness about. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is impossible for us. Luckily, however, it is not on ourselves we need to depend, but on God. Horatio ended his hymn with these words:
"For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live,
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou shalt whisper Thy peace to my soul."
It is God who provides the peace, God who provides the stillness. When I say God tells me to be still, I do not mean God comes out of the clouds and commands me, but rather I am given stillness, and within my heart resounds the words, "Yes, I know; be still." I still have pain and I still have grief, but I also have conviction that God is in control and everything will indeed be okay.
"Elijah said to him, 'Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.' But he said, 'As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.' So they came to Jericho. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, 'Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?' And he answered, 'Yes, I know; be still.' " 2 Kings 2:1-5
We do not know why Elijah was asking Elisha to stay behind, but we know he did the same thing to his former servant, asking him to stay in the town of Beersheba while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness with the intention of dying. Perhaps Elijah wanted to be alone when he died, or perhaps it is more likely he was trying to lessen the sadness his death would bring to those around him. I think those of us with CF can understand this motivation. Whatever the case, unlike the previous servant, Elisha clung to Elijah's side, knowing his master was not long for this earth.
However, it is Elisha's response we are most interested in, "Yes, I know; be still." Unfortunately, we do not know what was going on inside Elisha at this time. When the sons of the prophets approached him, telling him Elijah was about to be taken away, perhaps wondering what Elisha was planning to do or even trying to offer consolation to Elisha, he responds simply, "I know, be still." This may be taken to mean Elisha was filled with faith, and he was telling the sons of the prophets to stop worrying because he was confident God was in control. However, it seems to me more likely that Elisha was not filled with faith at all, and all the time when he was telling others to be still, what he was really doing was telling himself to be still, and trying to convince himself that God was in control and that everything would indeed be okay.
I find most often when I am afraid or looking for direction the Lord's response to me is simply, "Be still." Whenever I receive bad news from the doctor, or when I want to quit my job because pain and exhaustion is making it too difficult for me; or at times when I am frustrated with my life because I cannot be doing the things my friends are doing, or I feel like I've completely missed out on so many good things because I have cystic fibrosis; or most especially at times when I am facing the loss of a friend or someone I love; whenever these things are troubling me and I turn to God for help, His reply is to be still.
Of course, this doesn't really seem to be much help at all, but in fact it does help. We are reminded of this story of Jesus, "Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.' " Luke 10:38-39.
This is what God means by saying to me, "Be still." Just like Martha, we become worried and bothered about things which seem really important to us, and we turn to God for help because we feel it is important for such things to be answered. However His answer is show us a better way than our own. There is only one thing that is necessary and it is the good part which cannot be taken away from us. Everything else is only temporary. Even when God answers a prayer and solves a worry or takes away pain we are having, the happiness we feel as a result only lasts until the next trouble comes along. However, God is teaching us a joy that will persevere through the midst of our troubles, a joy which is eternal.
Many know the legend of Horatio Spafford, who wrote the hymn, "<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm">It is Well With My Soul</a>." His family was planning a vacation in England, but Horatio had some last minute business and sent his wife and four daughters ahead. Before they were able to reach England, however, their boat collided with another and Horatio's four daughters were drowned. It was during this time of hardship that he wrote these words:
"When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea-billows roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to know:
It is well, it is well with my soul."
Now, the difficulties of CF or the loss of a child are by no means easy things to have stillness about. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is impossible for us. Luckily, however, it is not on ourselves we need to depend, but on God. Horatio ended his hymn with these words:
"For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live,
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou shalt whisper Thy peace to my soul."
It is God who provides the peace, God who provides the stillness. When I say God tells me to be still, I do not mean God comes out of the clouds and commands me, but rather I am given stillness, and within my heart resounds the words, "Yes, I know; be still." I still have pain and I still have grief, but I also have conviction that God is in control and everything will indeed be okay.