Rest.
Stop.
Be still.
The sons of Korah, speaking through the inspiration of the Spirit, write in Psalm 46:10,
"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted. I will be exalted in Israel."
How well do we know God?
And the God that we claim to know, do we know that He is God?
What does this mean? Are you moved in your soul by your thoughts of who and what God is? Do you find yourself shrinking as the shadow He casts engulfs you more each moment, as you come to know just how massive and AWE-ful He is? It is no small deed that He at the very least CREATED YOU, is it?!
In another translation of the verse, the word "Stop" is used in place of "Be still." Literally God is telling His creation to "STOP!" "HALT!" "DON'T TAKE ANOTHER STEP UNTIL YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHO I AM!" This is so counter to our American "Go-Fast" lives. Do we even know how to stop? Half the time we can't even obey the stop signs (have you ever pulled off the infamous "rolling stop?") while driving. Stopping is simply a waste of time.
Jesus modeled this verse many times to his onlookers. He would steal away for time alone with his Father. He would ditch the crowds and his disciples and hang out in the desert or in a grove of trees and simply be...
with his Maker.
The God who made His dwelling among us, modeled time spent with Himself to show us how important it is to "get away" from the pressures and cares and live a life knowing... well... Him. This can only happen when we pull away for a time. When we are still. When we stop. Jesus was showing us that it was not a waste of time, if the time is spent focusing on the One who made all of this for us.
And honestly, in my opinion, you could use the break.
You're looking a little tired over there.
I know I'm tired.
You must be exhausted!
Why not take a little time and just be still.
It truly can happen anywhere. I'm finding a few moments of rest while I stand next to a conveyor belt and box bottles of salad dressing. Good thing ear plugs were invented! I have begun to use moments while working to think hard about Papa, God. To get lost in thoughts of who and what He is. As it has happened, my world is drastically changed.
Throughout the Word, God wants to be known. He is making Himself known in many different ways and at different stages along the way, so as to allow no man excuse not to know Him. He was very personal with Adam and Eve -- walking and talking with them in the Garden. He made Himself very clearly known to Abraham and Sarah. He showed His power over and over to the Israelites, even going before them as a pillar of fire. He walked before Moses, allowing Him to see only His backside. He put literal words into the mouths of His prophets, so as to make His people know Him more and believe in Him.
Then...
Something happened which had not happened perhaps since the beginning of time...
He walked the earth as a man.
He wanted man to see who He was and what He was about. They had gotten so distracted and lost in the world He made for them that they forget to know Him. They forgot to revere Him. So He came. And walked. And talked. And ate. And drank. And peed. And breathed. And slept. And grew weary. He even felt pain. Intense pain. Searing pain. Pain so great that He asked His Father to take away the cup meant only for Him (meaning the business of being hung on two wooden logs, in place of our failings). He did all this that we might look to His Father, to Himself, and know that He is God alone. To rest in Him. To be still and know that He is God alone. To exalt His name above all other jumbles of words. To know. And to know in stopping. To know in being still with Him.
I am about to kill two birds with one stone, as the cliche says. I am going to send out a challenge. This challenge will be for you. And this challenge will be for me as well. I challenge us to stop. To slow down. To be still today! To step outside your current life for a moment, with all the hustle and bustle, and seek Him in the quiet. Close your eyes maybe. Keep them open if you're worried about falling asleep. Stare at the wall. Read your Bible. Look over creation all around you. But whatever you do, whatever I do, let us think on Him. For no better time spent than to spend it on the one who created time. See what happens. Do this over the course of many days, weeks, months. It will take time to reteach yourself how to stop. To not think about work. To not think about the kids or your spouse. To not think about the bills piling up on the kitchen table. Stop those thoughts for a little while. And dwell... solely... on... HIM! I'll say it once more -- see what happens.
Be still.
Stop.
Rest.
Stop.
Be still.
The sons of Korah, speaking through the inspiration of the Spirit, write in Psalm 46:10,
"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted. I will be exalted in Israel."
How well do we know God?
And the God that we claim to know, do we know that He is God?
What does this mean? Are you moved in your soul by your thoughts of who and what God is? Do you find yourself shrinking as the shadow He casts engulfs you more each moment, as you come to know just how massive and AWE-ful He is? It is no small deed that He at the very least CREATED YOU, is it?!
In another translation of the verse, the word "Stop" is used in place of "Be still." Literally God is telling His creation to "STOP!" "HALT!" "DON'T TAKE ANOTHER STEP UNTIL YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHO I AM!" This is so counter to our American "Go-Fast" lives. Do we even know how to stop? Half the time we can't even obey the stop signs (have you ever pulled off the infamous "rolling stop?") while driving. Stopping is simply a waste of time.
Jesus modeled this verse many times to his onlookers. He would steal away for time alone with his Father. He would ditch the crowds and his disciples and hang out in the desert or in a grove of trees and simply be...
with his Maker.
The God who made His dwelling among us, modeled time spent with Himself to show us how important it is to "get away" from the pressures and cares and live a life knowing... well... Him. This can only happen when we pull away for a time. When we are still. When we stop. Jesus was showing us that it was not a waste of time, if the time is spent focusing on the One who made all of this for us.
And honestly, in my opinion, you could use the break.
You're looking a little tired over there.
I know I'm tired.
You must be exhausted!
Why not take a little time and just be still.
It truly can happen anywhere. I'm finding a few moments of rest while I stand next to a conveyor belt and box bottles of salad dressing. Good thing ear plugs were invented! I have begun to use moments while working to think hard about Papa, God. To get lost in thoughts of who and what He is. As it has happened, my world is drastically changed.
Throughout the Word, God wants to be known. He is making Himself known in many different ways and at different stages along the way, so as to allow no man excuse not to know Him. He was very personal with Adam and Eve -- walking and talking with them in the Garden. He made Himself very clearly known to Abraham and Sarah. He showed His power over and over to the Israelites, even going before them as a pillar of fire. He walked before Moses, allowing Him to see only His backside. He put literal words into the mouths of His prophets, so as to make His people know Him more and believe in Him.
Then...
Something happened which had not happened perhaps since the beginning of time...
He walked the earth as a man.
He wanted man to see who He was and what He was about. They had gotten so distracted and lost in the world He made for them that they forget to know Him. They forgot to revere Him. So He came. And walked. And talked. And ate. And drank. And peed. And breathed. And slept. And grew weary. He even felt pain. Intense pain. Searing pain. Pain so great that He asked His Father to take away the cup meant only for Him (meaning the business of being hung on two wooden logs, in place of our failings). He did all this that we might look to His Father, to Himself, and know that He is God alone. To rest in Him. To be still and know that He is God alone. To exalt His name above all other jumbles of words. To know. And to know in stopping. To know in being still with Him.
I am about to kill two birds with one stone, as the cliche says. I am going to send out a challenge. This challenge will be for you. And this challenge will be for me as well. I challenge us to stop. To slow down. To be still today! To step outside your current life for a moment, with all the hustle and bustle, and seek Him in the quiet. Close your eyes maybe. Keep them open if you're worried about falling asleep. Stare at the wall. Read your Bible. Look over creation all around you. But whatever you do, whatever I do, let us think on Him. For no better time spent than to spend it on the one who created time. See what happens. Do this over the course of many days, weeks, months. It will take time to reteach yourself how to stop. To not think about work. To not think about the kids or your spouse. To not think about the bills piling up on the kitchen table. Stop those thoughts for a little while. And dwell... solely... on... HIM! I'll say it once more -- see what happens.
Be still.
Stop.
Rest.
