Skip to main content

Be Still

           Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:8-11)

 

          Most of the time, we see verse 10 pulled out of context: “Be still, and know that I am God.” It sounds like an invitation to sit back, relax, and enjoy God being Mr. Wonderful. In context, it sounds closer to “Sit down, shut up, and pay attention. I’m in charge here.” The passage sounds as though He’s going to come take our toys away, break them over His knee and put us all in a time out.

          Just as with yesterday’s passage about every knee bowing, we may be tempted to say, “Yeah, God, show them who’s boss,” until He take our bows, spears, and shields and we realize that He’s telling us to sit down and shut up, too. Will we feel tempted to point at the other folks and say, “They started it”? Do we really think that will earn us a reprieve?

          Ultimately, we have a choice. We can bow the knee now by choice, or later on command. We can be still by choice, or in answer to His thundered command. It’s hard to do by choice. When I was walking and jogging a lot, I would often be at least 3.5 miles into my distance before the noise went away. It took me over 30 minutes and the exertion of that my physical energy before I stopped whining, stopped lecturing, stopped keeping myself company and listened.

          I had the great benefit when I was jogging. There were only two possible external distractions, my dog and my phone, and the phone rarely rings. Now, the silence is harder to find. It’s all my fault. I could go somewhere with just my dog and me again, but I “need” to have my camera, and there’s so much that needs to be done at home. I can’t just be for long enough to close the door on all the noise.

          And yet, that’s when God shows up.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...
2 comments
Read more

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more