Have you ever had one of those moments when time seemed to stand still? In today’s increasingly fast-paced world, it seems like entire days, entire weeks, even entire months, fly by without us even noticing. One day blurs into the next, leaving us wondering where time has gone.

But occasionally, something really grabs our attention, and time seems to stand still. My wife and I love watching sunrises and sunsets. Time seems to slow down for us in those brief moments. Maybe for you it is a piece of music or artwork. I think back to seeing my soon-to-be-wife for the first time in her wedding dress. Time stood still in that moment.

How about this week’s total solar eclipse? If you were fortunate enough to be close to the path of 100% totality, this rare celestial event was a pretty awe-inspiring sight. Where I live, while it was mostly cloudy that day, we had about 92% blockage, and it was still pretty cool.

Awe-inspiring moments influence our perception of time. In essence, when we focus on the present, time gets sliced up into smaller segments, making each moment seem more expansive. Those moments tend to keep us from rushing off to the next thing. Time stands still.

We know that time does not really stand still. It just seems that way sometimes. However, many years ago, there was once a day when time did stand still. Actually, it was the Sun that stood still, probably making it seem as if time had stood still. Let me explain.

Earth rotates on its axis once a day and orbits the Sun once a year. The Sun appears to rise and set due to Earth’s rotation. So, does the Sun move too? While it appears to be stationary, the Sun does in fact move, rotating on its axis once every 27 days. And it takes approximately 225 million Earth years for the Sun to make one complete orbit around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. 

Now, the context for today’s writing. As found in the Old Testament book of Joshua, upon entering the Promised Land, the Israelites conquered the cities of Jericho and Ai. Soon thereafter, they would engage in two more campaigns against the wicked nations of Canaan. The Israelites battled the five kings of the Amorites and their armies at Gibeon (Joshua 10:5).

Joshua needed more time to defeat the armies. Haven’t we all asked for more time at some point. Joshua needed more daylight. He needed the Sun to stand still. So, what did he do? He asked God for help. Do you ask God for what you need? Here is what we read – “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord … sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon” (Joshua 10:12).

And how did God respond? – “And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day” (v.13). The Book of Jashar is a collection of ancient Israelite poems quoted throughout the OT.

You can read the extended narrative in its context in Joshua chapters 9-12.

We are not told how God stopped the Sun any more than we are told how He miraculously fed thousands of people with only five fish and two loaves of bread. The book of Joshua is a historical book filled with real people, places, and events. It is not a book of poetry or prophecy, one that then would be filled with figurative language. I see nothing in this narrative that suggests we interpret the standing still of the sun as anything but literal.

Maybe right now, you need a miracle, an answer to prayer. Joshua prayed. God supernaturally provided the light needed to win the battle. Do you believe that God can answer your prayers? He can act in ways that you and I neither imagine nor understand. God can and does listen to the cries of His children when we pray according to His purposes (Psalm 145:18; Matthew 6:9-13; 1 John 5:14).

The sun and moon stood still for Joshua. God might just do the same for you!  

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William Shakespeare said, “The eyes are the window to your soul.” Assuming our eyes are functioning correctly, eyes do not lie. They see things as they really are. We might perceive or interpret what we see incorrectly, but the misinterpretation problem does not lie with our eyes. Our eyes see the truth, no matter what spin we try to put on that which we see. We can look into someone’s eyes to gauge so much about them. Think about someone with a glazed-over look or a wide-eyed look of astonishment. Or how about the person with tears in their eyes or that glare you get from someone who is not happy with you.

Much of the country will be treated to a solar eclipse today. The eclipse’s visibility is predicted to track through fifteen states. Solar eclipses happen about two times every year, but total solar eclipses are much rarer The last total solar eclipse in the US was back in 2017. Before that, the last one to cross North America was 1979. And before that, 1880. After today, the next total solar eclipse won’t be for another twenty years.

There are many events built around eclipse-watching parties. Back in 2017, we lived in New Bern, North Carolina, which then saw an eclipse with 92% coverage. My wife and I viewed the eclipse on a restaurant rooftop that included food and drinks. And of course, also the proper protective eyewear. It was a fun day. Today’s eclipse, for those lucky enough to be in its path, will be varying degrees of an eerie darkness. Our eyes will not be able to see much around us for those few moments. Or will they?

The Bible talks about our eyes being the window to seeing or not seeing God. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, his teaching on how to live a life full of love and grace, wisdom and discernment, a life dedicated and pleasing to God, says this – “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, hoe great is the darkness” (Matthew 6:22-23). I believe these two verses tell us that it is through our eyes that we find our way. Light comes into our body through our eyes, and we either are “see” light or we “see” darkness. Light illuminates God while darkness blinds us to God.   

Our fallen nature keeps us from seeing God fully. Our fallen nature lets darkness in, and we need the power of God’s Spirit to “see” God. We need ask God to guard our eyes from all that blinds us from seeing him. We need the revelation of God in order to grasp his goodness. The prophet Isaiah, when challenging people, whose vision had been darkened from continually looking onto the face of their idols, to look into the skies, said this – “Look up at the sky! Who created the stars you see? The one who leads them out like an army, he knows how many there are and calls each one by name! His power is so great – not one of them is ever missing!” (Isaiah 40:26, GNT).

Psalm 119:18 gives us a similar message – “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your laws.” Here the Psalter is praying for a life of fellowship with God, in obedience to God’s divine revelations, so that he can “see” the wonderful things found in God’s instruction. Psalm 119 is an acrostic psalm, consisting of a section for each of the twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet. V.18 is in the third section Gimel, the third letter in that alphabet.

Today, what will you “see” when looking through your solar eclipse glasses? Will you let this rare alignment of the Sun, the moon, and the earth (all created by God to reveal His majesty) give you eyes to see the majesty of God in the eclipse?

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Note from Dave: I originally posted this back in 2022. As we enter what will likely be a very divisive, noisy, protracted, rhetoric-filled, blame-game, and name-calling presidential election season, I am re-posting it again today, because I believe it is an important message for all of us to hear and live by.    

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I remember growing up listening to my dad, a staunch conservative, discussing politics, religion, sports, life, with our next door neighbor, who tended to be liberal in his views. These two men, who would go on to be lifelong friends, apparently did not see eye to eye on much. I remember overhearing their discussions, their disagreements, often heated, but never personal. There was no name calling, no bullying, no interruptions, no put downs. They dialogued, they listened to one another, they debated, and likely, in the end, they just agreed to disagree. Afterwards, they had a beer together.

It seems that these days, from backyards to national and international stages, discussion and the differing of opinions has turned from dialogue to diatribe. No longer is it good enough to simply discuss the issues, but rather, what is commonplace these days is to verbally (and yes, sometimes even physically) attack one other rather than discuss and debate both the issues we agree upon and those on which we disagree. No longer do we agree to disagree, instead we infer, sometimes outright stating, “I am right, you are dead wrong. My ears are closed to hearing what you have to say, and until you see it my way, you will continue to be wrong.” All we tend to hear is blah, blah, blah.

Around the same time when this post first appeared in 2022, I wrote about becoming a bridge builder, being someone who unites what is divided. In that post, I stated that Jesus-followers (and I am) are called to be peacemakers. I encourage you to read that post by clicking here.

Today, I want to look at what the Bible instructs regarding the words, the tone, the language, that comes out of our mouths. How are we to talk to one another, both in our loving conversations and our heated debates?

In my opinion, a good place to start is found in Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome (Greek: rotten, putrid) talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” The KJV puts it this way; to minister grace unto the hearers.

In Colossians 4:6 we find these words – “Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”

Let’s look at Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft (gentle, tender) answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” And just three verses later, this sage advice – “A soothing tongue (speaking words that build up and encourage) is a tree of life, but a perversive tongue (speaking words that overwhelm and depress) crushes the spirit” (15:4, AMP).

Notice that none of those verses say that we must agree with one another 100% of the time. But they do all instruct us to talk in such a manner as to never cause harm, to never tear someone down, to never attack another person’s character or insult them in any way. Kindness, even in the heat of battle, is sweeter than honey. “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body” (Proverbs 16:24).

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). What if we all prayed those words before we open our mouths, no matter what the situation, no matter whether the discussion will be easy or hard, pleasant or contentious.

If we all did that, just imagine the difference it could have! If we just allow the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to guide our words, even in the midst that next dialogue in which you and someone don’t see eye to eye.

Let us move from verbally attacking each other to a place of dialogue and discussion, maybe in the end simply agreeing to disagree. Then, let’s go have a beer together! 

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We skipped the light fandango, turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick, but the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder, as the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink, the waiter brought a tray.

If you are a connoisseur of 60s music, you might recognize those words as the first verse of Procol Harum’s song, “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” This song, released in 1967, is widely regarded as defining that year’s Summer of Love. Yet, its psychedelic melancholy tone could not be more characteristically different from the songs of that era.

The band’s lead singer, Gary Brooker, said that the musical inspiration for the song came from Bach’s “Air on a G String.” About that same time, his band mate, lyricist Keith Reid had been at a party in which he overheard someone tell a woman, “You’ve turned a whiter shade of pale.” And from there, the song was born. This enduring classic is one of my favorites. In fact, it is one of my go-to songs when my brain needs to calm itself. I sometimes put it on repeat mode in my headphones. Earlier this week, I listened to it for most of the morning as I sat working at my desk.        

Those first verse lyrics could be used to describe life in this fast-paced chaotic spinning out of control world we live in. The chorus of the song goes like this – And so it was later, as the miller told his tale, that her face, at first just ghostly, turned a whiter shade of pale.

Figuratively speaking, have you ever been a whiter shade of pale? Maybe you are there right now. Do you agree that the world in which we live can easily cause all of us to have that sickly whiter shade of pale look and feeling. So, what is the antidote to counteract that “feeling kinda seasick” kind of feeling?     

The Bible is filled with “be still” verses. One of those verses is Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” That verse sounds like good medicine, but, come on, seriously, how is it even possible these days? Let’s look at v.10 in its context. It comes near the end of a chapter that encompasses the idea of stillness in a world filled with utter chaos. A world in which control of is constantly fought for. Maybe a world much like the one we live in today. Before continuing, click here to read Psalm 46 in its entirety. 

This command to be still needs explaining to understand its meaning. This command to be still comes from the Hebrew verb raphah, which means to “be weak, to let go, to release.” It implies surrendering control. In Hebrew grammar, when there are coordinating imperatives (“be still” and “know”), the emphasis is on the second imperative. So, we are to be still (let go) in order to know (be sure) that God is in control. It means that we let go so that we can objectively know the saving power of God. It means we give up trusting in man and manmade things, so that we can know (experience) the sufficiency of God. I wrote about the sufficiency of God’s grace yesterday. Click here to read that writing. 

So, in a world that often causes us to look ghostly or even a whiter shade of pale, God promises us that in our giving up control (stillness), we will see (know) more and more of Him, regardless of what swirls around us. And more of more of God helps us, and allows us, to be still. Releasing control shifts from being a power struggle to being a promise. A promise that guides us, protects us, is refuge for us, even in a world that causes us to have a whiter shade of pale feeling.        

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 “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Ben Franklin

That adage, or some version of it, has been used over and over throughout the years. I am not here to debate the validity of that statement, but I trust you agree that in life not much is guaranteed. Your “till death do us part” marriage suddenly ends in divorce. The job you have had for a decade unexpectedly ends because your company closes its doors. You have kept yourself in good physical condition, only to find yourself now facing the decline that comes with aging. A lifelong friendship is ruptured over a seemingly meaningless disagreement. A loved one who you just talked to a few days ago is killed in a tragic accident. A dream you poured your heart and soul into for six years ends unfulfilled. You get the idea; here today, gone tomorrow.

Today I want to look at a two-letter word that offers us a certainty that is here today and here tomorrow; a promise that withstands the test of time.

In the beginning verses of 2 Corinthians 12, Paul tells us that he has an affliction, the precise nature of it we do not know. Paul pleaded with God to have this affliction taken away, but his “thorn” remained. That takes us to these words we read in v.9 – “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”     

Notice what God says to Paul, and to us today – “My grace is sufficient for you.” Did you see that little two letter word? I-S is!. God does not say, it might be, it could be, or maybe it will be. Instead, YHWH (God’s covenant name, first revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3, usually written as LORD in our modern day Bibles) promises that His grace is, and always be will, sufficient for us. He is all we need as we walk through life, facing everything thrown our way. His grace has no limits, it has no measure, it simply “is sufficient.”

That BIG little two letter word is an unequivocal and unequaled guarantee, exceedingly more so than even death and taxes, that withstands the test of time.

So, my question isn’t whether you understand that truth, instead, my question is, do you, and will you, fully embrace that truth, and walk out your journey knowing and trusting that God is all you need? God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and they often don’t make sense to our human minds. We are called to trust in the Lord and not rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Right now, no matter what your circumstances, God says to you – “My grace is sufficient for you.”

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