“He says, ‘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
Our natural inclination is to think the world revolves around us. Even for those of us who seek to follow Jesus, our fears and insecurities propel us to focus upon ourselves. Oftentimes our hearts and souls need to be put in alignment with truth from our Father so we will grow, thrive, and fulfill the call upon our lives.
In Ezekiel 36, we find Father God “soul correcting” His children. He says: “It is not for your sake . . . that I am about to act, but for My holy name I will vindicate the holiness of My great name Then the nations will know that I am the Lord when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight” (vv. 22–23). What a wake-up call! The entire purpose of God moving on our behalf is that His holiness and glory would shine! Our lives revolve around God, like planets around the sun, and we live to reflect the power and greatness of God.
The Lord went on to say: “I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances . . . so you will be My people, and I will be your God I am not doing this for your sake… I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt…. Then they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. 36:25–38).
Beloved, by God’s power we are transformed, and anything holy and good in us must be understood as coming from God and not from ourselves so the Lord receives all the glory and honor! Let’s repent of our self-centered fears and insecurities and of being focused on the material world. Let us declare that the Lord reigns over our lives and all that exists. Be still and know that He is God.
It’s all about You, Lord. I repent of my self-centered and world-centered thoughts and actions. Cleanse me from the idols of this world. Lord, I let go to lose myself in Your holiness, power, and greatness. I praise You for who You are, almighty God. Complete the good work You have begun in me that I may reflect Your glory!
Cynthia Schneider, From Passover to Pentecost (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2021), Used by permission.
