This week my wife wrote a devotional for our church that was really good, so I am sharing that here on my blog.
Be still and know that I am God. –Psalm 46:10
We’ve talked a lot about this scripture in the last couple of years. As the digital world expands and—in many ways—causes the rest of life to move faster and faster, it’s good to remember this.
It’s difficult to slow ourselves and make our minds still. And that often becomes the hang up for us—being still….Because we have to purposefully and deliberately slow down. It doesn’t just happen by a happy accident, like the trees on a Bob Ross painting.
But the stillness is not where the power resides.
My friend reminded me of this as we were talking this week. It can be so difficult to slow down that, by the time we actually DO slow down, we lose sight of the point of the verse.
“…and know that I am God.”
This is the point. This is what actually strengthens us and changes us.
And we can miss it if we’re not careful.
In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul says: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
We were made to know God: who He is; what His character is. But we have to CHOOSE to know Him.
The slowing down and practicing stillness is merely the tool we use to remember and declare who God is:
- the strength of my life
- my firm foundation
- my provider
- my salvation
- my help in times of trouble
- the light of life
…you get the idea.
As we remember and declare who God is, we remind ourselves of why we have faith in Him and we find strength to carry on. We don’t have to know all the answers, we need only know that God does and that He is steadfast and true and always with us.
Lord, help us practice stillness so that we can KNOW that You are God. Help us to not lose sight of what we actually need—which is to know You. We are forgetful and fickle and we need the fullness of who You are in every part of our lives and every moment of our days. Draw us back to You when our hearts and minds wander so that we may live with confidence and purpose and love. We know that we find all of this in You and we thank You that we lack nothing in Your presence.
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