Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Psalm 125:1-2
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.
I love these Psalms of Ascent, which the pilgrims used as they travelled to Jerusalem. In this particular psalm, we almost get the feeling that we are travelling with them as they gaze at the mountains around Jerusalem. Even the mountains themselves spoke to them of the security that they had in God. I don’t find it surprising that Christians throughout the centuries have found pilgrimages helpful as a way of encouraging them to focus on God.
The psalmists were always incredibly honest about the threats of life. There never seemed to be a shortage of enemies, and there were also internal threats and doubts. However, the psalmists were confident of their God, and time and again they spoke about God as their rock, fortress and high tower. The threats might have been real and scary, but God was always stronger.
I am repeatedly struck by the speed with which people’s lives can change. It might be a heart attack, a road accident, a business collapse or the breakdown of a relationship. However strong one might be, such challenges are shaking moments. They test whether our foundations are secure or not. The psalmists’ world would have looked completely different from our own, and yet we share a similar need to be secure.
We need to know that when the worst happens, God will still be by our side.
Question
In what ways does God’s security bless your life?
Prayer
Lord God, I thank you that You are my rock and that I can always be confident in You, however tough life might be. Amen

Psalm 124:8
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
I wonder if you ever have “what if” conversations. You know the sort of thing: “What if I’d had a different career? What if I’d gone to a different school? What if we’d moved to a different town?” In this psalm, David reflected on an even bigger question: “What if the Lord had not been on our side?” As the pilgrims made their way up to Jerusalem, he encouraged them to think about how terrible life would have been without God.
It might seem a strange thing to do, but perhaps all of us, from time to time, should stand back from life and just imagine what it would be like if God had not been with us. This should fuel two responses. Firstly, it should strengthen our gratitude for all that God has done for us. It is so easy for us to take God for granted, especially if we have been Christians for many years.
But there is a second reason why it is good to have “what if” thoughts: they can help us to focus our thoughts and prayers on those around us who do not know the Lord. They live their days without the security of knowing God’s love and care. Let’s allow our “what if” thinking to spur us in our prayers for them.
Question
What would your life be like if you hadn’t given your life to Christ?
Prayer
Loving God, thank you for the security that You have given me, for time and eternity. Amen

Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
Friends are a precious gift, and we all need them. Saul found himself in a delicate position when he visited Jerusalem for the first time after his conversion and he desperately needed a really good friend. His visit came a couple of years after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, and many people in Jerusalem would have remembered what kind of man he used to be. Barnabas took it upon himself to introduce Saul to the apostles. This was a crucial moment and Barnabas, whose name meant son of encouragement, was just the friend Saul needed.
We all face difficult times in life, and those are the moments that reveal who our true friends are. The fair-weather friends rush for cover at such times. They are nowhere to be seen. However, true friends stand with us whatever the circumstances. I’m sure you, like me, can immediately think of people who have shown that kind of solid friendship. The most wonderful example of friendship in the Bible was between David and Jonathan. They lived with constant danger and appalling pressures but, right to the end, they were completely faithful to one another. Thank God for the amazing gift of friendship!
Question
In what ways have friends been a blessing in your life?
Prayer
Loving God, help me to be like Barnabas by being faithful and encouraging to my friends. Amen

Acts 9:17
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said: “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
I consider this to be one of the most moving sentences in the whole of the Bible. Ananias had been asked by God to go and meet Saul. He was fully aware of Saul’s reputation and was bound to think that there must be some mistake, but the Lord informed him that Saul had been appointed to take the gospel to the non-Jewish world. In obedience to the Lord, and with considerable courage, Ananias headed off to the house on Straight Street, placed his hands on Saul and called him brother. How amazing!
The story of Saul’s conversion should be a warning to us all not to put a limit on what God can do. I invite you to think of people you know who are completely dismissive of Christian faith. Perhaps they laugh at you for your faith or think of it as just a lot of sentimental nonsense. It is very tempting to assume that it is a waste of time sharing our faith with them, and that we should focus our attention on the people who show some interest. I suggest that we need to pray for everyone we know – God loves everyone and invites them all to follow Him, however antagonistic they may be.
Question
Are you willing to share your Christian faith with people who are opposed to it?
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you that You are a God of miracles and want to welcome everyone to Yourself. Amen

Acts 9:3
As Saul neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
Saul was a deeply committed Jew and his mission was quite simply to destroy the Church. He was acting with the authority of the high priest in Jerusalem to search out any followers of Jesus and take them as prisoners. But suddenly everything changed as he travelled on the road to Damascus. A brilliant light flashed around him and he heard a voice asking: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (v 4). Saul was familiar enough with the scriptures to know that this must be God, and he asked: “Who are you, Lord?” The reply was not the one he wanted to hear. He was sure there was nothing in this new-fangled Jesus religion. How shocked he must have been to hear the voice saying: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
We know the rest. We know that this moment changed everything. Saul’s life was turned upside down and inside out. He would never be the same again, and neither would the Church. Most of us will never have had an experience quite like Saul’s. If you have, I am delighted for you and praise God for this blessing, but for most people, coming to faith in Christ is a slow and gradual process which often takes place over a number of years through spending time with Christians and learning more about God. Whether your experience has been sudden or gradual, meeting with God is a miracle, and we need to praise Him for it.
Question
How did you come to faith in Christ?
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you that You meet with me in all sorts of ways, and that You want to walk with me today. Amen