One of the most beautiful commands uttered in the Bible is found in Exodus 14:14: 

‘Be still and know that I am God.’ 

Moses and the recently released Israelite slaves have reached the Red Sea and, behind them, the Egyptians have changed their minds about their release and are pursuing them to re-enslave the people. 

So, there lies a huge conundrum – in front of them is the expanse of the Red Sea (in which they would drown) and behind them are the Egyptian army (whose intention is to destroy them).  

What are they going to do? They are trapped. 

The people turn to Moses and it is here that Moses hears and relays these beautiful words from our Creator – ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ 

Wrapped up in these eight small words is the encouragement to be calm and to trust God.  

Now, let’s fast forward to the lifetime of Jesus… 

We pick up this new scene in Mark 4:35-38: 

On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” 

The scenes are different, but the sentiments are the same – ‘we’re going to die one way or another, what are you going to do about it?!’ 

The story continues: 

He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 

(Mark 4:39-40 CSB) 

Whether the Lord is saying, ‘Be still and know that I am God’ or ‘Silence! Be Still!’ the message remains the same. 

1. Am. God. 

Do not fear. 

Do not panic. 

I am able and I have a plan. 

The God who spoke light into existence, the God who can fasten the chains of the Pleiades, the God who has seen the storehouses of hail. This God has a plan. 

Not only does He have a plan for the wind and the waves in the earth, but He has a plan for the wind and the waves in your life…in your heart. 

The God who knitted you together in your mother’s womb, who knows every hair on your head, the God who captures and keeps your tears in a jar. This is the God we speak of.  

My encouragement for you today, from these miraculous biblical accounts, is to trust God. 

This statement can sound dry and trite on its own. But I hope that, after all of the evidence presented to you, you can take courage in the care of the God of the universe and rest your life carefully in His hands. 

After all, it was those hands that formed you. It is those same hands that can – and will – take care of you.  

As we unpack four more miracles over the next four days, may you know the peace of God – both today and this Christmas season.