I’m a bit behind in reading my daily Bible. Okay, a LOT behind. I may or may not be on September 21st. But in my defense, I’ll get to reading, something stands out to me, I start to study it out, and before you know it, I have to get ready for work or something. And then I get even farther behind.
So, as I was reading on September 21st yesterday, I got 6 verses into it and the phrase “do not be disturbed” stood out to me. So, I stopped. Again. And I never got off September 21st.
But I did get very encouraged. And it ended up being JUST what I needed yesterday.
In Isaiah 36, the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, sent his top guy to threaten Israel. It was kind of a “do you really think your God can save you from me” kind of speech. It was meant to intimidate and scare them, and it worked.
In fact, they tore their clothes in despair. The king’s words REALLY upset them.
So they did the smart thing. They turned to God. Guess what He told them through the prophet!?!
“Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against Me. I will take care of them.” And He did.
Do not be disturbed.
Disturbed can mean a lot of things, but in this case, it means don’t lose your peace. Don’t lose your sense of rest. Don’t be unsettled. Stay calm.
And these were just the words I needed yesterday when the school called and asked me to walk in to get my son at the end of the day. He passed out in class. He passed out for the second time in a month.
Having a daughter who had seizures (and is healed and over 6 years seizure-free now, praise the Lord), and having done the research on these episodes years ago, I know what can cause fainting. It can be something as small as low blood sugar or something as big as a brain tumor a cardiac condition.
Immediately my mind was racing, and just as fast, these words spoke louder than my fear, “DO NOT BE DISTURBED! I’ll take care of him. I’m here.” And then there was peace.
There are a lot of things that can disturb us. A bad report from the doctor. Losing a job. Losing a loved one. Relationship problems. Or your son having fainting spells of unknown origin.
It’s our choice whether we get disturbed or not. Whether we let it disrupt our peace. Whether we get unsettled or not.
We need to do the smart thing. We need to turn to Him. Hebrews 12:2 tells us exactly what to do, “Looking away from all that will distract to Jesus…”
Numbers 21 gives a picture of what this looks like. Israel was complaining against God, again, and the fiery serpents went into the camp. Moses set up the brass serpent and the instruction was that anyone who looked at the brass serpent would live.
But what kind of look? It wasn’t just a quick glance but it was a fixed, steady, absorbing gaze. Meaning they couldn’t look away.
They had snakes crawling all around them, and they couldn’t look away from that brass serpent. Not even for a second. Not even to check to see if their kids were okay. Or their husband. Or to swipe a snake off their leg. They had to stay focused on the brass serpent.
No matter what we face in life, He is the answer. He is the refuge we run to. The fortress we hide in. The shield we hide behind. The arms that give us comfort. The provision of every need. The power that brings healing. He is all of it.
And the only way to live “do not be disturbed” is to stay focused on Him. On His Word. Period.
We can only think one thing at a time, and we get to choose if we think on the problem or the Word. The Answer. I choose the answer, how about you?
No matter what you’re facing today, take a sec and hear Him saying, “Do not be disturbed. I’ve got this. I’m here.” And then there’s peace.
I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8