My friend, Steve, posted about a practice called Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) that he and his family were working on the other day. They were meditation and reflecting on Psalm 46:10. He said, “Tonight we breathed deep as we contemplated what being made in the Image of the Divine means, how the external noise of the world can crowd our True Self out, and where stillness can bring us back.” I love that.
When I read this eleven verse song from the Psalms, it’s a beautiful encouragement. My take on it: God is a safe place. He is always There for us during times of trouble and when we need Him. We can stand fearlessly at the edge of the cliffs; courageous during earthquakes and thunderstorms; unafraid when the mountains are shaking and the sea is roaring because God is with us. He fights for us. He has an army of angels at His command. So in the city of God, the river flows with joy. The streets are safe; the city is protected because God is here. On the earth the nations are often in turmoil; filled with violence, war, and uncertainty. Yet we hope in God, the One who fights for us, whose army of angels surrounds us. Pay attention. For the earth is full of all the amazing creations of God — from the beautiful flower to the mighty lion. Peace is in His character. He bans war from the North to the South Poles. He breaks weapons across His knees like twigs and throws them into a bonfire. So take a step back. Take a long look at the Most High God, the one who loves you greatly, who lives above all the chaos, above the politics, above everything. He fights for us. Be still and know that I am God.
As I read that post from Steve, I recalled years ago hearing a song by Jason Upton that was a spontaneous flow and then it quieted down and he quietly spoke these closing words from Psalm 46:10:
Be still and know that I Am God.
Be still and know that I Am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
It’s easy to get all caught up in the fray — of politics and elections and tweets and social media commentary and all the daily chaotic storms of life that quickly consume us. I am guilty of it. So for me, I have to intentionally stop. I take an hour…or two…or more… and read a scripture; meditate on it; reflect on it and journal about it. It is a way to quiet down my mind and focus on the goodness of God and allow Him to speak to me through His word and through the Holy Spirit. Walks in the woods or on the beach are great for clarity and grounding, but sitting intentionally in the IHOPM or in a quiet place with a Bible and my iPad is equally important for me. It is part of the the being still. And the knowing that He is God and that He is my defense, my protection, my tower of safety… that is significant. My faith in the unseen, yet somehow tangible God of the universe, is the anchor that allows me to continue onward, forward and upward, like my motto says.
Be still.
Know.
He is.
God.
Bigger than me.
Yet ever with me.
I rest in that.
I can BE because of that.
And that, my friends, is significant.
Nice! I agree completely. My time winds up being a little early in the day but still a good time to “be.”
Yes yes yes. We could always be more intentional about taking time. It’s never that we don’t have the time, it’s a matter of what we choose to do with the time that is given to us.
I think an important part or being, and knowing He is God, is being watchful – as opposed to being slothful. Coming to God, even as we are broken we should humble ourselves, and fervently seek Him in prayer.