Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am God Psalm 46: 10

In these days of COVID-19 these words could not be more important. Our worlds have been shaken. Nothing is the same and it is vital that we ‘Be still and know that I am God.’

Stillness is not something that comes easily to those of us raised in the west. Our lives are designed to be ‘Go, go, go’. We are encouraged to be active physically and mentally. No time to sit around. Too much to do. And yet God invites us to come and be still.

In these unique days, our life may have ground to a halt, our job lost or on furlough or at the other extreme we are expected to do our job as well as home school the children who are now with us 24/7. In either extreme being still does not seem to be an option. Either our minds are in mental turmoil or our days are so cluttered that taking time out to be still seems plain ridiculous and yet that is God’s invitation or is it a command?

Many years ago when we had four children, having a quiet time to be with God did not seem to be an option. I longed for it and I cried out to God to show me how in the busyness of life, I could possibly set some time aside for him. He showed me that after school the children came home and for half an hour they were occupied. I snuck off into our tiny study, left the door open in case I was needed and for half ah hour I spent the most wonderful time with him.

God knows our heart and will make a way. On the other hand years later I was snowed under at work, I was exhausted and God kept persistently asking me to get up half an hour earlier to spend time with him. It seemed madness but after arguing with God for months, I set the alarm for half an hour earlier and again in those precious times, I met with God in such a way that I was carried through those stressful days.

However you may find you have an unaccustomed amount of time to be with God. Make the most of it. Your day with be shaped and blessed by this time because it is not enough just to be still, we are exhorted to ‘know that I am God.’  Knowing in the Bible does not mean learning 100 new facts about God. Knowing means experiencing.  ‘Be still and experience God.’ That is a treasure worth seeking out.

Experiencing God, his love, his grace, his kindness, his forgiveness, his acceptance, his approval are gems worth pursuing. There is no obvious end product in terms of goals achieved but the change in our life and well-being are priceless.

These are unusual days. The whole world is being shaken but we can be safe and secure in the knowledge that God is for us, God is in control. When these days are past, the world will be a different place but hopefully we too will be in a different place with a relationship with God that is firm and secure, where we have a greater understanding of who we are.

God has plans and purposes that he is working out and we have our part to play. We are not designed to sit idle but to be busy about the Lord’s business. This comes though through the great paradox of Be still and know that I am God.