Be Still and Know that I am God

What a great passage that is.  For some people I am sure that this comes easily.  Their temperament and personality may line up well with this command.  For me; not so much.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am a  "do"-er, not a  "be"-er.  In the last year or so God has given me an awful lot of time to cultivate the skill of staying quiet and  simply being in His presence.  I have to admit that it still requires effort.  I have no problem talking to God, reading his Word, studying, worshipping and the like, but being STILL--that's a tough one. 

The message at church yesterday was excellent.  (Good job Pastor Dave!)  Pastor was talking about the Spiritual Disciplines.  The part that stood out most to me was the constancy in which Jesus withdrew from everyone and went to be alone with the Father.  As Pastor said, THE most powerful and pure person to ever walk the earth, the One with all wisdom, drew aside to commune with God the Father.  How much more shall we go to that place, the desert, the Eremos  to be with God.

For years, almost without really seeing it, I have read those texts; yet today Pastor really drove it home for me.  I love the fact that regardless of how long I have been a Christian, I learn and glean from the Body of Christ!

Developing the skill of "being still" before the Lord is one that I practice.  It is a habit that is learned and cultivated.  It requires me to listen in utter silence, including pushing back all the thoughts that rush in (that's the tough part for me!).  Like anything else, the more I practice, the easier it becomes and the easier it becomes, the more often I want to do it!  But this text talks about more than this.  This text is about FAITH.

To be still and know (that He is God) is an invitation to "keep the faith", if you will.  It is God saying, "hang on, don't panic, I've got this".  As I was praying this morning for my son and others, I had the sense that God was adding to that and  saying, " it's ok, go about your day in peace".  There are times, when after I have prayed,  I walk away from that place and  still have a heavy heart.  Let's face it, life is hard; but today  God was taking me a little deeper in my understanding of this text and His love for me.  He was speaking directly to the heaviness of my heart, the lump in my throat, and ache in my head.  He was saying that to really be still is to not have those symptoms, but to walk this out in Joy; which stems from the strength that He provides me, joined by the faith and assurances of His mercy and loving-kindness toward me.  It was beautiful! 

He truly is my Source.  Is He yours as well?     Leave me a comment, I'd like to chat!