JUST BE STILL
Recently Peter has been meditating on the statement in Psalm 46.10 Be still and know that I am God…
STOP
Be still tells me to STOP … what do I need to stop? Stop trying to work it all out? Stop doing – keeping yourself busy because you feel you have to DO something (maybe anything…)? Stop blaming yourself or others?
REST
Be still is also about RESTING.
It’s the experience of sitting after a long walk, or the complete surrender as you lay down on your bed at the end of a busy day, or the soothing calm of a parents embrace when your child sits on your lap or cuddles in under your arm!
KNOW
It’s in this resting that you get to really KNOW and understand more of God being God!
Essentially it’s as if God is telling the psalmist and me “Just pack it in will you and let me BE God! Stop trying to do it all yourself and just snuggle into my embrace!”
Are you going through a hard place then listen again to this from Psalm 46.8-10
‘Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ (Psalms 46:8-10 NIVUK)
IN STORMS
In the midst of desolations, wars, destruction and great hardships he says; “Be still and know that I am God;…”
More literally it’s the same authority that Jesus showed when he rebuked the storm in Mark 4.39 as he said “Quiet! Be still!” and the wind died down and it was completely calm…
In the same way David tells us in Psalm 37.5-7 to commit your way to the Lord… trust him…Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him… Do not fret ….
IN PERPLEXITY
After Easter the disciples were trying to understand the amazing things they had heard about how others had encountered the resurrected Jesus when suddenly he came and “stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ (Luke 24.36)
He broke through all their questions, doubts and fears to impart a peace that would never leave, which answered all they had not yet understood and brought them to a deeper knowledge than they could have believed possible!
AUTHORITY
Having been abused, mocked, tortured, crucified, died and been buried Jesus returns with an authority which no one could contradict. He who faced his accusers without making any defence, (Isaiah 53) who willingly embraced death on the cross and rose again brings us a peace which we could not know, and a life we could never earn. His word of “Peace!” carries an authority no one can ever undermine!
TODAY
Still today Jesus says, “Peace be WITH you!” We need to learn to (just) BE STILL in His presence! It’s not an order to be obeyed, but a reminder of the place of certain security! It’s the experience of a frightened child running into the arms of a loving parent and being totally surrounded by one who is greater, whose love is overwhelming and who affords unquestionable strength and protection!
Thank you Peter
