Be still...

It was four weeks ago when the Wednesday Group was last sent out by email; it's been online since. We read Psalm 46 and considered the phrase in verse 10 "Be still and know that I am God."  If you followed that week's session you will have seen the video by Francis Chan, in which he encourages us to find stillness, not just during lockdown, but as a God invested life style.  

You may wonder why we're returning to this topic. The answer is that I had a complete blank until lunch time today, when this verse tumbled around in my mind and it wouldn't go away. I'm the first to admit that the message is probably for me rather than you. 

Spend some time now, being still and wait, and then ask God to speak in these next few moments. 

Psalm 46:10 "Be still..."

still (adjective) 
motionless, stationary, undisturbed, tranquil, silent, gentle, quiet, subdued, 

Dallas Willard - a Christian writer who has written much on The Spiritual Disciplines, writes this.

Solitude and Silence
Among the practices that can help us attend to soul care at a basic level are solitude and silence. We practice these by finding ways to be alone and away from talk and noise. We rest, we observe, we “smell the roses”—dare we say it?—we do nothing. This discipline can be used of God as a means of grace. In it we may even find another reminder of grace—that we are saved, justified by His redeeming power—not by our strivings and achievements.

In drawing aside for lengthy periods of time, we seek to rid ourselves of the “corrosion” of soul that accrues from constant interaction with others and the world around us. In this place of quiet communion, we discover again that we do have souls, that we indeed have inner beings to be nurtured. Then we begin to experience again the presence of God in the inner sanctuary, speaking to and interacting with us. We understand anew that God will not compete for our attention. We must arrange time for our communion with Him as we draw aside in solitude and silence.

The psalmist said, “Cease striving and know that I am God” (Ps. 46: 10, NASB). And immediately following this, the writer affirms the success of God's mission on earth: “'I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold” (vv. 10-11, NASB).

Other translations of this verse read, “Be still, and know” (NIV) or “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me” (TM). God's provision for us and for His work through us is adequate. We do not have to “make it happen.” We must stop shouldering the burdens of “outcomes.” These are safely in His hands. Someone insightfully said, “The greatest threat to devotion to Christ is service for Christ.”

What a paradox! This is so easily a challenge for many ministers. Allowing service for Christ to steal our devotion to Him is a radical failure in personal soul care. But it is one from which the practice of communing with Christ in times of solitude and silence can deliver us.

Psalm 46:10 "...and know that I am God."

All relationships ebb and flow, come and go. If you were to measure your relationship with God would you say it is growing, dormant or diminishing? Is it going through a quiet period where you don't feel God is close or do you feel Him close much of the time? 

This verse promises that if we are still, then we WILL know God; we will find him. 

Do you need to change your life pattern in the coming week?

Prayer:
  O Gracious and Holy Father,
  Give us wisdom to perceive you,
  Diligence to seek you,
  Patience to wait for you,
  Eyes to behold you,
  A heart to mediate upon you,
  And a life to proclaim you;
  Through the power of the Spirit
  Of Jesus Christ our Lord.
                   St Benedict


To learn more about silence and solitude with a story from Elijah's life, try this video (38mins).