Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Step Out of the Traffic

"Be still and know I am God."

It seems I can't pick up a book, turn on the TV, join in a conversation or hear a sermon lately where God does not seem to be repeating this message. I'd bet that most of you involved in the arts keep hearing this as well and when you started reading this post, you asked, "the 'be still' message again, Lord?"

It doesn't surprise me given the hectic pace of the world of the arts and of our lives in general. Deadlines come every day and every week. Rehearsals, preparation and practice all need to happen in the midst of daily schedules filled with work, family, friends, shopping, children, eating, recreation, community and church activities. The more my heart seeks to love the Lord, the more my soul longs to be filled with His Spirit, the more more my mind wants to think "what would Jesus do?" the more God says to me, "be still and know I am God."

God has this message a number of times in His word. I decided to take a look at The Message translation to put it into context for our busy lives today. The more modern translation of "be still" is in bold face.

"Quiet down before God,
be prayerful before him.
Don't bother with those who climb the ladder,
who elbow their way to the top." (Psalm 37:7)

Sound like a situation at work you might have encountered?

"Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something's afoot in his holy house. He's on the move!" (Zechariah 2:13)

It can be hard to hear God in the tumult of everyday life.

"Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, 'Quiet! Settle down!' The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?" (Mark 4:39-40)

The storms of life keep us from knowing Him and that He's in control.

This one I particularly enjoyed:
"God will fight the battle for you.
And you? You keep your mouths shut!"(Exodus 14:4)

And Psalm 46:9-11, the verses that God keeps putting in front of me, have much wisdom for today:

Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything."


Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
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Daily Inspiration

The Blind Side

Read about the real life mom from "The Blind Side."

Lifeway: http://www.lifeway.com/article/?id=169816

Guideposts: http://www.guideposts.com/story/sandra-bullock-blind-side-football?page=0,1

Read Matt Mungle's review of the movie at http://www.buddyhollywood.com/.

Lauren Yarger, Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the 2000 Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists.

Yarger trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Three-Day Training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run.

In 2008 she was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She writes reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway theater with a Christian perspective for Reflections in the Light (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/) and is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection. She also is a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com

She also reviews books for Publisher's Weekly and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. She formerly was Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp, a national theater web site bsed in New York and a reviewer for American Theater Web.

She also served as Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. and worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.

She is a freelance writer and member of the Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association, The League of Professional Theatre Women and The CT Critics Circle.

A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger lives with her husband in West Granby, CT and has two adult children.

Copyright Notice

All contents copyright © Lauren Yarger 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved. For reprint permission, contact masterworkproductions@yahoo.com.

Scripture from THE MESSAGE Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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