Have you ever thought that standing wasn’t passive? How do YOU understand this word, spiritually. Not certain the secular and spiritual define standing in the same way. Standing is not nor has it ever been a passive word, it never is a do nothing time.
“So now, take your stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.” [1Samuel 12:16]
Granted this sounds passive – but we are instructed to ‘see’ in this instance and discover what the Lord will do. In Exodus 14: 13-14 Moses says:
“Then Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid! Take your stand [be firm and confident and undismayed] and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for those Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.”
Stand is defined as firm, confident, undismayed… and again the instruction to – see.
Throughout scripture the people were told to stand and see. In the New Testament we begin to broaden our understanding of standing. Ephesians 6, in my opinion, gives the best instruction, definition, understanding about standing. Beginning in verse 10 through 17 we see:
- we are to be strong
- we are to put on the whole armor of God
- know who we are battling against
*”…put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground,” verse 13-14 - then the pieces of the armor are identified with their function
These are not passive acts which expands our thinking about what the word = standing means. These are intentional and specific actions. What led me in this direction was pondering why God would want us to just stand – it seemed such a waste of time and God wastes nothing. So if we are to understand ‘stand’ then how does the Lord define it.
Unimportant? Just a word game? Hardly. Since the Lord never wastes anything and since words (their definitions and instructions) are important never just assume your definition is the only one. Ponder, contemplate, check scripture, talk with others… and discover – you may have part, just now the whole picture. .And always find your expression.
