“Be still, and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10

Be Still

The Lord spoke this to me a least a dozen times yesterday as my mind raced with concerns—“okay” fears—about a child starting high school, not knowing a soul there and no longer being under the watchful eye of her dad who worked on the school campus she had gone to her entire life. God reminded me the day before as I dropped her off and drove away with tears streaming down my face—her Abba Daddy always has His watchful eye on her.

Then came thoughts of how was I going to get all the work done at my job and at home. Again the admonition—“Be still and know that I am God.” Focus on Me—stop looking out, and look up.

In the ever-present smoke, containment/acres burned statistics, and devastating stories from the fire, “Be still and know that I am God.”

The “being still” is not relaxing or even being at peace—it’s “leave off (your own attempts) and know.” It’s as Pastor Bryan says, “Stop that,” or the NASB translation: “Cease striving” and know or acknowledge who God is. The 11 short verses of Psalm 46 tell us He is: our refuge and strength (vs. 1); in the midst of us (vs. 5); the Lord of Hosts (vs. 7); the LORD (vs. 8); God or Elohim (vs. 10) and our Fortress (vs. 11).

The very first verse reminds us. “God is… a very present help in trouble.” He is present with my daughter at school, with us in every area of our daily lives, with the people who have lost homes and loved ones. Verse 3a tells us He is present, “Though its (the earth’s) waters roar and be troubled…”

Mark 4:39 says, “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” (This time, “be still” means to become speechless or to hold one’s peace—sometimes that’s exactly what I need to do). Jesus was asleep in the boat and a great windstorm or tempest arose. The waves were filling the boat up—the disciples (many of whom were fishermen) were terrified. They woke Him up and asked Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Have you ever asked Jesus that? I have—“Jesus this ____________ (fill in the blank) is killing me; don’t You care?” I sometimes forget, just like they did—Jesus is in the boat with me. He asks them (and us), “Why are you so fearful, have you still no faith?”

Ladies, if He can calm the sea, He can and will take care of whatever is going on with us.

“God, please help us be still and trust You, the One ever present in our lives, and Your Son, who calms the raging seas. Help us acknowledge and be in awe of You. Amen.”