The Lord Mighty In Battle
"Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle." (Psalm 24:8)
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:14).
There are only a dozen words in the NIV rendering of Exodus 14:14, which so beautifully reinforces "The Lord Mighty In Battle."
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
But if we dig around these dozen words, we can unearth depths of truth to pull out and take with us into our own battles.
THE LORD: Not a human warrior, not a faithful friend, not a family member, not someone in a position of earthly power. "The Lord," Victor of every battle He fights.
WILL FIGHT: Not sit off on the side and observe, not offer suggestions, not send a subordinate.
FOR YOU: Not alongside, not behind you as backup. Not in addition to you, but instead of you. Not with you, but "for you."
NEED ONLY: Not this and this and this and this. This "only."
TO BE STILL: Not pace around, wringing your hands. Not be God's back-up. Not make suggestions. Not get in the way. Just "be still."
Digging a little deeper, I loved uncovering that the American Standard Version translates "be still" as "hold your peace." Do you see how perfectly this comes together? "Be still" has less to do with inactivity and more to do with letting go. It carries the idea of unclenching our fists and opening our hands. How much easier is it to hold our peace when our hands aren't trying to hold onto something else?
The Lord (God Himself, not some lesser power) will fight (wage a righteous battle) for you (in your place); you (not somebody else) need only (just do this one job) to be still (let go of whatever else you're hanging onto so your hands are free to hold the peace God will put in them).
Beloved, take this battle cry into your day: "The Lord will fight for me! I need only to be still!"
There are only a dozen words in the NIV rendering of Exodus 14:14, which so beautifully reinforces "The Lord Mighty In Battle."
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
But if we dig around these dozen words, we can unearth depths of truth to pull out and take with us into our own battles.
THE LORD: Not a human warrior, not a faithful friend, not a family member, not someone in a position of earthly power. "The Lord," Victor of every battle He fights.
WILL FIGHT: Not sit off on the side and observe, not offer suggestions, not send a subordinate.
FOR YOU: Not alongside, not behind you as backup. Not in addition to you, but instead of you. Not with you, but "for you."
NEED ONLY: Not this and this and this and this. This "only."
TO BE STILL: Not pace around, wringing your hands. Not be God's back-up. Not make suggestions. Not get in the way. Just "be still."
Digging a little deeper, I loved uncovering that the American Standard Version translates "be still" as "hold your peace." Do you see how perfectly this comes together? "Be still" has less to do with inactivity and more to do with letting go. It carries the idea of unclenching our fists and opening our hands. How much easier is it to hold our peace when our hands aren't trying to hold onto something else?
The Lord (God Himself, not some lesser power) will fight (wage a righteous battle) for you (in your place); you (not somebody else) need only (just do this one job) to be still (let go of whatever else you're hanging onto so your hands are free to hold the peace God will put in them).
Beloved, take this battle cry into your day: "The Lord will fight for me! I need only to be still!"
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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to tell me what you really think. Years ago, I explained to my then-two-year-old that my appointment with a counselor was "sort of like going to a doctor who will help me be a better mommy." Without blinking, she replied, "You'd better go every day." All of which is just to say I've spent some time in the school of brutal honesty!