Be Still and Know

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still"- Exodus 14:14 (NIV).

The ESV translation says you need only to be silent. Israel, at the time of Jesus' birth, was under Roman rule and occupation. Try to visualize foreigners in our country collecting heavy and, often, unfair taxes, armed soldiers stationed throughout our cities and countryside, with the strength to take what they want and leave us with only our life; some of us would retaliate, so the interlopers would cruelly make examples out of those who didn't comply. That's the Israel Jesus was born into. The night Jesus was born, there was a stillness, a silence. A portion of the lyrics to the 1818 lyrics of Silent Night are "Silent night, Holy night, all is calm, all is bright...sleep in heavenly peace." In the middle of all the offenses of the Roman occupation, Bethlehem was being still. Bethlehem was silent. And God was ready to deliver them out of the darkness into new life. That silent night ended with angels heralding the good news: "Peace on earth, and mercy mild..."Christ is born in Bethlehem"" (Hark the Herald Angels Sing). Jesus was overcoming the world. The Lord will fight for you. "Be still and know" (Psalm 46:10a)