Daily Topic for November 09, 2009
So often we remember the first part of this verse but forget the second part. Be still and know that I am God, is used as an exhortation to put our faith in God in any situation. Yes, we must have faith in Him no matter what may happen. But there is a definite purpose to being still: to know that He will be exalted in all the earth. Does it give us peace and joy to know that the glorious One will be exalted among the nations?
Pray that we as Christ’s followers will not disobey His purposes by being satisfied with “being still” before unreached nations like the Yashkuns hear of His glory.
“It’s not fair! Why do the Shi’ite clergy force us to break off our marriage plans?” The bride-to-be was visibly angry. “We did the right thing; our marriage was arranged by our parents. Why can’t they accept it? Is it because he is from the Shins, and the imams think the Shins are better than we are?”
This couple is of the 99,000 Yashkun people group of northern Pakistan. There is a unanimous belief among most of the local people that the Yashkuns are related to the Aryans who migrated to northern Pakistan starting as early as the 10th century. Over time the Yashkuns merged into clans, branches and sub-branches. They now have four major castes, and they believe that the Shins (one of the four) are superior to the Yashkuns, so marriages between these two subgroups are rare.
The Yashkuns depend heavily on the available natural resources to maintain their livelihood. Unfortunately, their region has seen massive environmental degradation, ranging from pollution to deforestation, poor pasture management to over-harvesting of medicinal plants, as well as widespread poaching.
Learn more at joshuaproject.netPray that God will raise up workers who can sensitively lead the Yashkuns to the only One Who has the whole world in His hands. With Him there will always be a sufficiency for every need. Pray that the gospel will soon have a positive impact on Yashkun communities.-MH
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