Strengthened by a “Sit-In”

Isaiah 30:7 – “For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.”

There are times for action in the Christian life, but occasions also arise when we must sit quietly at Jesus’ feet. When you have been called aside by circumstances or sickness for a spiritual “sit-in” it is because God wishes to recharge your soul with His grace. Thus He would qualify and empower you for greater service and fuller blessing. It is important to note that we cannot always be sending branches upward; there is also a time when we must send roots downward until they contact the streams of living water so necessary to refresh our testimony for the Christ.

When the pursuing Egyptians trapped the helpless Israelites at the Red Sea, Moses said, “Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (Ex. 14:13). When the Moabites and the Ammonites closed in on Judah, King Jehoshaphat quieted the hearts of his people with almost the same encouraging words – 2 Chronicles 20:17 “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD”. Yes, sometimes waiting is more essential than working, and trying must give place to trusting!

Luther Burbank often startled the world by the things he did with fruits and vegetables. Yet, surprisingly enough, it sometimes took years of selecting and crossbreeding to develop a “spineless cactus” or a “seedless orange.” In the light of this, we should not be rebellious or impatient when God takes time to work on our immortal souls that He may perform His greatest wonders.

To wait on the Lord is always a rewarding experience. You as a Christian can be greatly strengthened by such a spiritual “sit-in.”