Be Still

"'Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!' The Lord of hosts is with us; the GOd of Jacob is our fortress." Psalm 46: 10-11

Our world runs by in a fast pace. Hurry, hurry, hurry. Here in America, we are always rushing somewhere. Hence the drive in pharmacy, fast food resturants, and microwave dinners. We are always trying to save time. But why?

What are we saving time for? Is it just for the pure and simple fact of having more time to hurry and do something else? Do we rush just for the sake of rushing?

It is so easy with our honey-do lists and the thousand different demands on our time to let God and Scripture slip to the background but whenever we give Him second place, we are sure to be less gracious, less peaceful, and less able to see the blessings and joys around us. He knew that. That is why He told us to be still. This doesn't mean that we can never be busy but that even our business, we remember that He is in the throne and He is in control.

Every other summer or so, my family goes camping up to Lake Superior. We get a campsite right by the lake where we can climb through a thin strip of trees down to the beach and then, out into the icy cold water. We play in the sand, ride on the waves, made smores around the campfire, and fall asleep to the sound of the water.

One day, after swimming, I was standing on a washed up piece of wood and looking out across the water to the faint gleam of Canada's shores with the cry of birds and the crash of the waves in my ear. I stood there in wonder at the creation and I thought of that verse. 'Be still.' How good it is to be silent in your soul, even if you aren't in your motions, and to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He is God. That is how we can have peace even when life is like an earthquake roaring around us.

"I am God." It is a powerful three words with volumes of meaning behind them. God. We have given that word many definitions but none compare to the Bible's definition. Holy, majestic, righteous, soveriegn, merciful, mighty, loving, truth, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, never changing, ever faithful. He is the Warrior whose mighty arm will be our fortress and He is the tender Shepehrd who will make us lie down in green pastures and lead us beside still waters. He rules kingdoms, poewrs, wars, and nations and He raises up or tears down according to His perfect plan. We can trust Him for He is God.