Stillness. . . An Underrated Value

 

Be STILL and KNOW that I am God . . .   Psalm 46:10

 

I don’t know about you but for me, this time of year is CRAZY!  It’s the start of everything it seems . . . school and all it brings (sports, PTO, endless forms to fill out. . .), football season, Bible studies, ministry seasons and the list goes on and on . . .

 

It’s been an especially hectic time this year because the church I work for just moved it a brand spankin’ new building and there was endless work that needed to be done to be ready for our first service.

 

I confess I feel like a chicken with its head cut-off running around and around in circles, unsure of whether I'm accomplishing anything or not.

 

I fell into bed the other night completely exhausted and looking forward to a good night’s sleep only to find that my brain wouldn’t stop running.  I lay there thinking about all the things I’d forgotten to do and all the things that needed to be done, making list after list in my head too tired to get up to grab a pen and paper and write them down.  And I chalked up another sleepless night.

 

With just a little time in my busy schedule, I squeezed in a quick moment with God and wouldn’t  you know it, this verse in Psalms is what God brought to my attention . . . God does have a way of getting at the heart of things!

 

Be STILL and KNOW that I am God . . .  (Psalm 46:10 NLT)

 

Okay, okay, I confess I’ve been anything but still. 

 

As I thought about this verse I had a flashback to long ago when my kids were little . . .  

 

One of my favorite things to do with my children was to read to them.  They would crawl up in my lap in our rocking chair and we would read.  But as busy toddlers they didn’t like to sit there for too long.  Before I knew it they were squirming and wiggling to get down so they could run off to play.

 

I feel like that’s the way I’ve been with God lately.  He beckons me to come, crawl up into His lap and BE with Him  and I will for a few sacred moments but it’s not long before I’m thinking about all the things I need to do and I’m off and running without a second’s hesitation.

 

I know that being still before my Savior is the best way, so why do I allow other things to get in the way?

 

“Being still” is more than just sitting still for a few short minutes.   It’s STOPPING everything to be with the One who calls us by name.  It’s setting aside the things that need to get done.  It’s allowing our mind to go quiet, to focus on just Him.  It’s becoming single focused.  It’s refusing to multi-task when we’re with Him.  It’s creating a time and space to be fully present with our Savior.  It's a deliberate purposeful choice to step out of the chaos and into the stillness.

 

Do you see the reward of being still? 

 

The reward is great!  We will come to KNOW Him not for who we want Him to be but for whom He truly is.  Knowing Him that way will build a strong foundation so that when the waters rise and our faith is tested we will TRUST.  

 

Lord, teach me to be still, to be in Your presence without being distracted with all that is going on in my life.  Teach me to value my time with You more than I value my list of things that need to get done.  I want to Know You.  I want to Love You with my whole heart.  Amen.