Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, October 4, 2026
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: Sometimes we are called to act. This time, when the Israelites were in peril, God invited them to remain still and let God take care of them.
Last week we heard of Joseph and the many people God placed in Joseph’s path who helped him succeed in saving people from famine. Today we read of Israel fleeing for their lives from slavery in Egypt. Pharaoh pursued them, and at the Red Sea they were trapped; unpassable water before them, and certain capture behind them. They reacted as most would, bitterly complaining that Moses had led them to their deaths. In contrast to the many actors involved in Joseph’s success, in today’s reading, Moses told the people, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”
Keeping still can be really hard, especially when danger looms. Many of us today are constantly in a state of panic. We sense danger as we read the news, struggle to pay bills, or languish in toxic relationships. We may be constantly tethered to our phones doomscrolling or playing mindlessly. We might be suffering with addiction or illness. It can seem as though there is never a break from the chaos that swirls around us. We might respond by overreacting or by shutting down completely. Neither is stillness.
The Israelites likely fought the urge to flee or beg for mercy. But Moses invited them to stillness. As they watched, God performed miraculous tasks they could not have done for themselves. In their stillness, there was no complacency. Their stillness was intentional and active. They participated in their own escape, even as God removed from their shoulders the burden of the dangers and obstacles they faced.
As we struggle to keep our heads above water, we are invited to stillness. We might fight the urge flee or beg while God invites us to be still. Our bodies, minds, and spirits were not designed to sustain such consistent chaos. When we are stuck in fight/flight/freeze/fawn, our nervous systems remain on high alert and we can experience fatigue, depression, anxiety, stomach or heart problems, and more. God’s invitation to be still might be the remedy we need. Consider the best act of stillness you can find for yourself as you remain a witness to the miraculous things God is doing around us.
