Be Still and Know

(This blog post idea has been languishing in my brain for months now… Given the current state of the world, I had to buckle up and write it out – as much for myself as for those who read my blog.)

In July 2018, I posted this on my Facebook page…

At that time, it was a new revelation for me.

I had memorized Psalm 46:10 as a child, but the words took on a new meaning when I read it again as an adult in different Bible translations.

Now, as we live through a pandemic and a 21-day complete lockdown, the simple truth behind this verse could very well be a lifeline that holds each of us together and keeps us from crumbling.

Be Still

We’ve seen the phrase on Instagram letter boards and framed artwork. It’s artistically woven into digital graphics and embroidered on cushion covers.

But what does it really mean to be still?

Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon says some of the original meanings of the term are:

• to sink
• relax
• abandon
• refrain
• let go
• to be quiet
• let alone
• to show oneself slack

Wow! That’s certainly a lot to process, isn’t it?

When the world has turned on its head, and nothing seems the same anymore… how do we react?

Mind-numbing fear and anxiety? Been there, done that!

But being still… not a pose I’m particularly familiar with.

Let’s face it… most days, even if we’re physically sitting still, a million thoughts are running through our minds.

(Or our fingers are mindlessly scrolling through a screen. But that’s another matter altogether!)

What would it really mean to quieten our minds in the presence of God?

Let go of the things that crowd our brains and sink into our Father’s loving embrace…

Give ourselves time and space to process current world events (and how they affect our lives) in the light of God’s Word…

Ignore our to-do lists for awhile and bask in the Lord’s grace…

Our hitherto rigid schedules have a lot more wiggle room now. Could we use some of it to be still and commune with our Creator?

And Know that I am God

I don’t think I’ve fully appreciated the meaning of the word ‘and‘ till now.

We can’t just be still and expect much… the words following the ‘be still‘ part are crucial too.

In our pursuit to be still, let’s not gloss over the ‘know‘ part of the verse.

This is where all our past experience with faith in God and the knowledge we’ve accumulated from the Bible comes into play.

In our stillness, we must know, recognize, understand who our God is.

He is God. You and I are not.

Let that just sink in.

I used to love the quote by Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables…

“God is in heaven, all’s right with the world.“

Well, guess what?!

All’s not right with the world now.

We’re in the thick of a pandemic… and most days I wake up hoping it’s showing signs of ending.

Still, we hold on to the knowledge that He is God and we are not.

This pandemic is bigger than us, but God is still on the throne.

God is still God. And God is still good.

In the midst of being still and knowing God, let’s keep praying that He will heal our land, strengthen those on the frontlines, provide for and protect those in need, guide decision makers, grant us peace and make us whole again.

We’ve read the end of Revelation… we know it’s all going to be ok in the end.

Until then… we can hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

He will be exalted among the nations! He will be exalted in the earth. – Psalm 46:10b

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash