Stand Still

Praise God for His Steadfastness

You’re right: steadfastness isn’t a word we use every day. Since we’re talking about God, though, it describes Him perfectly.

Firmly fixed in place. Not subject to change. Immovable.

We can see the world swiftly changing before our eyes. But Almighty God? He never changes, never moves. He is steadfast.

Cara wonders, “How impossible would it be to serve a God who changes His mind? He is always the same. He is always good.”

Yes, He is.

“For he is the living God and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.” Daniel 6:26

Glory be, that’s an amazing truth! Read it aloud, if you can, or whisper it when no one’s watching. This power-charged verse addresses any fears or doubts we might have about His authority or His sovereignty.

Nothing can change who God is or what God says or what God does.

God is unchanging and everlasting

Nina believes, “He is a rock in the sea of life.” That bedrock, that cornerstone, cannot be moved, though the storms rage and the waters break against it.

When the ground beneath us is shaking, the Lord “stands firm” (CEB). When we lose people we care about, He is “abiding to the ages” (YLT). While some things last no more than a season, He is “everlasting into worlds” (WYC).

The Bible is timeless because He is timeless. It’s not an ancient book for an ancient people, it’s a new Word for every generation, including ours.

Dawn is comforted knowing that “He will always be the same God, with the same statutes, with the same love and grace that are outlined through His word.” So right, Dawn. In our day-to-day world, same can mean boring, been there, big yawn. But in the spiritual realm, same is marvelous, miraculous.

Our rock-solid assurance is this: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

He is the same, beloved. He “who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8), never waivers in His character or wearies in keeping His covenant. If you belong to Him, then He is your God, now and forevermore.

And get ready for this! When doing research for my Scottish historical novels, I often stumbled across the word fastness, as in, “The Highlanders retreated to their mountain fastness.” I assumed it was a typo; that the writer meant vastness. Turns out, fastness means a secure refuge, remote and secluded, well protected by natural features.

Our God stands, or steads, in just such a fastness, where He meets us, guards us, and protects us. It’s not a mere concept; His fastness is a real place of safety for us.

If your week has been hard, if the news of late has been too heavy to bear, then run to His fastness and take refuge beneath the shadow of His wings. If an hour can’t be managed, try fifteen minutes of silence and solace. You’ve no need to do or say anything. Only remind yourself of this:

Our world may be falling apart, but our God never falls apart.

Heavenly Father, we are running to you. Right now, this minute. The demands of the day can wait. It’s You we need, and You alone.

God endures forever... Daniel 6:26

What does the steadfastness of God mean to you? Please share your thoughts below, knowing they will bless many.

Your grateful sister, Liz
@LizCurtisHiggs

Your sister, Liz Curtis Higgs BibleGateway Blogger Grid I am honored to write for P31 Ministries Love being part of (in)courage!

Lysa TerKeurst on It's Good to Be Queen

 

20 Responses to Stand Still

  1. Susan G. July 2, 2015 at 3:15 pm #

    Boy don’t we need His fastness these days! So glad we can run to Him and cling to His ‘never changing’ love. This was just what I needed today Liz. And your photos always give me such a calmness as well…can’t wait to get into one of those photos! 🙂 Blessings to you!

    • Liz Curtis Higgs July 2, 2015 at 5:54 pm #

      THANKS, Susan! You’ll find these beautiful stone fences in Scotland, Ireland…and Kentucky! These photos were taken at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. There’s just something about these old stones, carefully fitted together without mortar, standing for decades, even centuries. Blessings back to you!

    • vickie July 2, 2015 at 11:59 pm #

      GOD “HE KNEW US BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD” His plan of salvation. God appointed having sent his son Jesus Christ, He ordain our eternal inhereitance. God is! After believing in God in childhood the moment came when the hearing of the gospel of Jesus Christ fell upon my heart and Jesus made himself known to me. His sprit quicking “s.o.s. my person needed rescued & I needed to ask for forgiveness. …astounded in awe falling into the living room floor. Jesus made himself known. ” I am here to rescue you amen. He filled my soul, brought me out of darkness into his light of life. Going and telling was a celebration : I have been born again Thank you Jesus. The experiential ” Steadfast Kingdom of God” 🙂 transformation brought The stedfast awareness of Jesus made me his child.

  2. Paula Timpson July 2, 2015 at 5:00 pm #

    Gods Love is always present to us
    lifting us up to where we belong~!

  3. Gail Wenos July 2, 2015 at 5:06 pm #

    Oh dear Liz, thank you! With all that has been happening in our world today and with my own personal circumstances, my heart has been terribly restless. Being reminded of God’s steadfastness and unchanging ways was so timely for me! Thank you for bringing me back to the assurance of His Sovereign care, and for the need for me to simply “stand still” and let God be God!
    Love you Lizzie,
    Gail

    • Liz Curtis Higgs July 2, 2015 at 6:01 pm #

      Oh, dear Gail. I looked to be sure, and indeed, the Bible never tells us the Lord is restless. Only WE are, like Jeremiah 49:23 describes it: “They are disheartened, troubled like the restless sea.”

      Here’s the good news: God is the opposite of restlessness. He is rest! Hebrews 4:10 tells us, “Anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.”

      Praying your mind, heart, soul, and body find his REST today, beloved.

      • Gail Wenos July 2, 2015 at 9:23 pm #

        What a comforting truth to tuck in my heart…”God is never restless. He is rest.” Thanks Lizzie…I needed that.

        • Elsie August 4, 2015 at 9:54 pm #

          The rest I need in my restless heart is found in Jesus alone. There is no rest apart from him

  4. Beth Taylor July 2, 2015 at 6:19 pm #

    Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted among the earth. Psalms 46:10
    That is whispered across my heart. It is my soft place to fall.

  5. Brandi Luiz July 2, 2015 at 10:06 pm #

    He is never changing always ready to meet me where I am. I needed your words of encouragement, thank you.

  6. Betsy Cruz July 3, 2015 at 1:04 am #

    Liz, you are a LIGHT in this world. Thanks for these inspiring, REASSURING words today.

    I’m whispering to myself that truth of Daniel 6:26. His dominion never ends! right now I’m facing lots of uncertainties in life: an upcoming move, a child leaving for college, and the list goes on. But how wonderful to know that even though my life is uncertain, God never changes. He’s the bedrock on which I stand, a safe, secure place. So good to know. So good to remind myself.

  7. Jaime July 3, 2015 at 1:16 am #

    Wow. I just realized something I never caught before. We call it steadfast when we are using the term in a positive light, such as referring to our Lord. In most cases, when we refer to our husbands, we use the less positive stubborn. Man is created in His image. Women are a bit further removed and we , oh so cliche, constantly change our minds. If I am having a back and forth with myself, I can always count on my husband to be gentle yet firm in his “stubborn” mindset that hasn’t changed 1000 times in five minutes(an exaggeration but perhaps only slight). God is not stubborn, only steadfast, our rock, and our salvation. I am so thankful He is always the same.

  8. Denise July 3, 2015 at 2:25 am #

    As always, your writings are a great blessing and “food for thought.” To me, I see God as our Sure Foundation. Our lives can be secure because we are like a house built upon the Rock and when the storms of life blow against us (and we all know what that is like!), the foundation enables us to remain firm and safe, knowing we need not fear but just hold on even tighter to Him & HIs Word. The world would have us “sink” into the despair of the situations, but on a sure foundation, there is NO sinking! We may not have any strength of our own, but He is our great Defense!

  9. Elizabeth July 3, 2015 at 6:44 am #

    Liz, your blog was/is a huge comfort and reminder of God’s steadfastness. Thank you! It’s been a tough week in the world and God’s Word, through you, righted my feelings and thoughts. I needed that!

  10. Linda H. July 3, 2015 at 7:52 am #

    This blog brought tears to my eyes as I needed to be reminded today of these very words. I have been restless myself and love this reminder that God is rest. Thanks for the new word fastness. I have always loved verses that assure me of God’s strength. A refuge, my strong tower, in the safety under His wings sheltering me from life’s storms. I am so blessed to be His child. Love to you Liz♥♥

  11. Agnes Butler July 4, 2015 at 10:21 am #

    Very interesting blog! When the world seems to be bogging me down, I have to remember and be thankful that He will take my load. Wow! Would be soooo lost without Him!

  12. Maiaa Ohlson July 6, 2015 at 2:49 am #

    Hi Liz

    Thank you for this refresher. I live the new word fastness and can’t wait to use it I think that the knowledge of this truth that God is steadfast, that he will always be is so key in my walk with Him. Thinking about what I’ve gone through and what our world is going through God is the only absolute. Without Him I can’t live!
    Arohanui-much love Liz

  13. Pam July 7, 2015 at 11:14 pm #

    I am extremely comforted by this. So much of my world is unpredictable that I am forever grateful for His steadfastness in love, kindness, strength, and wisdom. I can depend on Him to be good to me.

  14. Debbie Woodland July 10, 2015 at 10:02 am #

    Just knowing He is my constant and faithful heavenly Father!

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