Be Still

There are some verses that come up in your mind over and over again. Psalm 46:10 is one of those for me...

""Be STILL and know that I am God..."

And yet no matter how many times I hear it, read it, pray it, preach it to myself, or meditate upon it, it never gets old. Don't you just love that about the Word of God?! The fact that it truly is LIVING and ACTIVE piercing our hearts. It truly is incredible that no matter how many times we read a verse, a chapter, a book, or even the entire Bible, it never ever gets old. The Holy Spirit teaches us new Truth through it, and we are moved to live holy and obedient lives for Christ in fresh ways.

The entire chapter of Psalm 46 does just that, provides refreshing truth to our weary souls, it truly is incredible. We are reminded of the reality that God is our refuge, our fortress, and our strength. It is HE who sustains us, HE who protects us, HE who empowers us, and HE who protects us, in and through all things. Therefore why should we fear? This chapter reminds us that we NEED a refuge, and that refuge we need is found only in our Father above. We need that moment of quiet solitude before and with the Lord each day. We need to "cease striving" as the NIV says, and to "be still" as the ESV says, before the Lord.

And it is in those moments that we remember who our God is. He is the ONE who will be exalted above all the nations. He is the ONE who is sovereignly in control of ALL things. He is the ONE who is moving actively to fulfill his plans and purposes. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the great I AM! He is GOD!

Therefore, if we know these things, we shouldn't fret. We have nothing to fear. No matter how much chaos surrounds us in our world, our sphere of influence, or our own personal lives, there is One who is all powerful, almighty, and actively orchestrating. The One who spoke everything into existence, is the same One who calls us to be still, to cease striving, to KNOW, or remember that HE IS GOD! May we remind ourselves to do that daily, to take the time to stop, to humble ourselves before Him, to be still, and KNOW that He is God!

This hymn reminds me of this reality, be blessed by it:

This is my Father's world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
he shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!