Skip to main content

Be Still

         He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10 NIV)

     Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10 NASB 1995)

 

        The NASB 1995 translation includes a footnote on “Cease” of “Relax, let go.” What comes to mind is the animal rescue video I watched last night. In general, the reaction of animals to being rescued is either fight/flight or surrender. The juvenile monkey struggled and screamed, and there were times when the rescuers had to stop freeing it and restrain it so they could continue to free it. Life is so much easier for a rescuer if the victim relaxes and lets the rescuer do his thing. I’ve heard that those trying to rescue drowning victims have to basically let the person pass out to avoid being drowned by the victim. The command to “Be still” or “Cease striving” then, isn’t arrogance on God’s part. It’s simply the circumstances under which God can intervene in our lives without    our endangering ourselves.

            A second idea comes to mind as I read the first phrase of this passage.

                Be still (Cease striving) and know that I am God

                Be still (Cease striving) and know that I am God;

                Be still (Cease striving) and know that I am God;

                Be still (Cease striving) and know that I am God;

            Practice reading them aloud, emphasizing the bold portions in their turn.

            The third thing I notice as I read the whole passage is what might be called the whole message. God will be exalted among the nations. God will be exalted in the earth. This is the reason we can and should be still and cease striving. But if this is the reason we can and should be still and cease striving, then for what reason are we not being still and striving?

            Two possibilities come to mind. The first is that we are resisting God. It’s as if God is saying, “Be still and know that I – not you – am God.” The second is that someone else is resisting God, and we’re anxious and think either that nothing can be done about it, or that we have to save the day. We must go evangelize the world, but work our way into the government, and make things turn out right. Or, we are afraid that they or their gods might win. To this, God seems to be saying, “Be still and know that I am God. I’ve got this covered. It’s not a crisis to Me. They will exalt Me.”

            I don’t know which message you need to hear today, but I hope one or more of them blesses you today.

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

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...
1 comment
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