Be Still
Gordon Crook, PastorGrace Assembly, Wichita, Kansas
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10.
Still – to sink, relax, abate
One of the things that God tells us over and over again is that we need to trust in Him and not be anxious for our circumstances. We need to learn that God is in control of everything that affects His children. Moreover, God is able to take care of everything.
When the children of Israel were coming out of Egypt, they came to the place where they were unable to continue and unable to help themselves. Here God reminds them who He is and that He is there for them. “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.” Exodus 14:13.
I think God often brings us to this same place so that we can learn to trust Him completely. We often must come to the complete end of our own rope so that we will grab on to God’s rope and let Him take control.
When we take time to be still (abate: let up on our own effort) we can then allow God to tell us and show us His work on our behalf. “Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.” Job 37:14.
“Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.” 1 Samuel 12:7.
“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalms 100:3.
Paul encourages to let go of anxiety and bring everything to God. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6.
It is truly amazing when we can just let God speak to us to remind us of His love and His care over us. Paul reminds us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and that is because we learn there of God’s power and faithfulness. I think we might sometimes miss out because we are not “still” when we come to study God’s Word. Our heart is so anxious about how we might solve our own problem. How we are going to change our circumstance and we fail to hear God speaking to us. “Be still and know that I am God.”
In all of this God wants us to “know” Him. “Be still and know that I am God.” We are privileged to know Him as our Father, but we also need to know Him as God. He is Sovereign and there is nothing He cannot do. Paul says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?” Romans 8:31. How privileged we are to “know” Him and to know these precious truths about Him.
“Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24. There are so many ways for us to know our God. I just want to encourage you today to take time to be still and know God. Let Him reveal Himself to you.
Be like Paul who was willing to let go of everything dear to him to “know” Jesus. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” Philippians 3:10.
Some times people act like it is some kind of drudgery and a difficult duty to study God’s Word. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is a joy and privilege because we find our God revealing Himself to us in many ways. I want to know Him better every day.
