Stillness
By Peggy Kleckner
“He says, Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the
nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
What does God say? He says, “Be
still and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the nations, I will be
exalted in the earth.”
Dwell there for a minute. Let those
words settle into you. Let them wash over the rocks of your worry, the boulders
of your cares. Let them refresh your weary spirit. His words are life.
Take and eat. Let them nourish you.
Now, breathe in His life. Look into
God’s heart. Sit down as you would with your closest and dearest friend. Put
the phone away. Turn off the noise. Yes, this will take more than a moment.
Just focus on the first two words, “be still.” Two words, two short words and
yet this will take great effort on your part. Keep breathing. Let your worries
down onto the floor for now. Let all the “have
to’s” and the “but, I don’t have time”
excuses go and give God this moment of stillness. Step out of the fast waters of life by taking
His hand and allowing Him to seat you beside Him.
Breathe deeply of His grace and His
compassion; release yourself into His strong arms. Let stillness be a priority
for this moment. Let it be your gift, your gift of obedience to Him. Let
yourself relax in the stillness of His strong embrace. Trust that He is
welcoming you with open arms and great joy at your gift.
When you begin to feel the pressures
lessen, focus on the next phrase, “know that I am God.” To know is to “be well
informed about, to be aware of, to be acquainted with, to be sure of” [1] Think through each of those definitions and ponder if you really
“know” that He is God. Are you acknowledging His supremacy in your life? Are
you spending time getting to know this God whom you serve or are you just
following along? Are you busy doing for Him but setting little time aside to be
with Him and hear His heart?
Stillness is a difficult practice it
is very much against the tide of our culture, but we are called into it by God
Himself, so most assuredly He enables us to do it. This week purposefully
practice being still as your gift to Him. As you practice, continue to grow in
your knowledge of Him. He delights in you.
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
Will you commit to setting aside a few moments for stillness every day
for this season of lent as a gift to God?
2. In what way do you want to know God better?
FURTHER
READING:
Peggy is a wife and mother of four
adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at
Oakwood Church in Delafield.
[1]
Webster’s New World Dictionary
