Be Still and Know That I Am God – Psalm 46

Today’s Readings:

• Genesis 1:1-19
• Psalm 104
• Gospel Mark 6:53-56

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:11 – sometimes this feels impossible to do. Especially when you feel like the rock at the bottom of the picture. Where everything is stacking on top of you.

In today’s readings, we hear the story of creation, and what stood out to me is this: that God made two great lights – one to govern the day and one the night. We are never alone, even if we feel like we are. He has illuminated our days and nights.

In the story of Exodus, we all know that many were scared as they ran for their lives, not knowing where they were going, but all along trying to trust. Then when they felt like they had reached the end, with no hope in sight, God shows His might and separates the sea. Now just before that great moment of awe, great wisdom was spoken through Moses, and he said in Exodus 14:14, “The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still.”

My most favorite time of the day is early morning when the house is asleep. Everything is still, and it is quiet. It is at that moment when I feel more alive than any other time of the day. It is when I feel like I don’t have to fight to be heard, I don’t have to fight to get breakfast done on time or a load of laundry in before work or homeschooling, I don’t have to think – I just have to be still so nothing wakes up. It is refreshing. It is when I feel the only ones awake are the Lord and I. Forgetting He is always awake, waiting for us to be still long enough to feel Him in the silent whispers of our heart.

Do you every feel the Lord in this stillness? Or, do you ever feel like if I could just touch his cloak everything will be okay? If this person would just hear me out, everything will be okay. If this situation would just go away, everything will be okay. If the Lord would just hear my pleas, everything will be okay. Well I know I have, and what I have learned is that as long as I am busy trying to fight my way through the day and not still myself, I cannot hear HIM. He is calling us. He is wanting us to stop fighting the day and sit still with HIM.

Perhaps with Lent fast approaching, we too can hear these words being told to us: “Be still and know that I am God.” Stop wandering and let me “fight, for you, you only have to be still.” Perhaps this Lent, we can sacrifice time for the Lord and sit still with him, sometime throughout our day or night.

My prayer for you and I is an ancient prayer found in Numbers 6:24-26, and that is, “The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!” In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit + Amen