Be Still and KNOW that I Am God
Psalms 46 (NRSV)
God’s Defense of His City and People
To the leader. Of the Korahites. According to Alamoth. A Song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
Here we are again, in the midst of the Christmas rush. Yet, if we will redirect our attention away from the hustle and bustle and toward God, He urges us to be still.
Psalm 46 was written during a time of war. The Assyrians were a mighty war machine, mowing down the cities and even kingdoms that lay before them. This psalm reminds the people that even in the darkest hour, God is our refuge, our hiding place, and he is our strength. Pause for a moment and think of what these words can mean in your life today.
When we look at the circumstances that surround us, we see reason for fear. But God does not want His children to live in fear. So we are reminded that there is a river that flows from the throne of God, What does that river bring? In Revelation 22 we are told it brings life. There may be death and destruction all around us, but God offers life.
Is there a way to live trouble-free while we are in this world? We know there is not. But it is not our troubles that define us, it is the way we react to everything around us. When we live in fear, we are not trusting in God. When we live in constant fighting, we are not allowing God to bring peace. When relationships shatter, we forget that grace coves a multitude of sins.
When we are told to be still, it is not an instruction to rest, to do nothing, but instead, we are being told to recognize that God is sovereign, He is our King, He is our deliverer. When we pause to consider the works of God, to remember He is our very present help in the time of need, then the troubles which overwhelm us begin to shrink in proportion to who God is.
Today, I invite you to “be still, and know that He is God.” In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Father God, may we pause today, in the midst of everything going on in our lives, and understand just what it means to be able to approach you and call you “Father.” Instead of going ahead of you and asking you to bless our plans, may we come to you first, asking you to place the right plans and desires within our hearts. In jesus’ name, amen.
- Posted in: Blogs
Seeking Holiness 