Be Still

It is gray and wintry here today with a light, drizzly rain that falls continuously.  Things are quiet, people are staying inside, the world seems more still and hushed.  I recently gifted a precious friend with an art quilt that incorporated her favorite Bible verse, "Be still and know that I am God," Psalm 46:10.  It is one of the shortest verses in the Bible with a simple, yet powerful message.  Good things come in small packages, don't they?  

This verse is called to mind today, as the weather seems to echo the sentiment, "be still," and rouses my heart in remembering God is everywhere, in everything, all the time.  All around us, in us (if we've invited Him), with us, and for us.  What a treasure, a blessing, an indescribable gift and an unwavering comfort. 

To me, God is commanding us, not demanding of us, but more reminding us to practice just waiting and listening to hear Him.  To not feel worried, or anxious or concerned about matters in our every day lives, rather to trust in His sovereign understanding of all things relevant, and His gracious provision for our every need.  He doesn't mince words, it's not, "if you think it's a good idea, know that I am God," or "you might consider being still and knowing that I am God, because it might be good for you;"  the question of whether or not it is good for us is non-existent.  In His perfect way, in succinct terms, which drive straight to the point, He simply says to do it, "be still, and know," because He always knows what is good for us, all of us.

I can tell you that, when I take time in my daily life to do this, a couple of amazing and wonderful things start to happen.  One, I feel so much closer to my God, to Jesus, to my higher power; and two, I hear Him speak, maybe not in audible words like I do here on earth, but in whispers in my heart, my soul or my mind.  Sometimes I hear messages through something someone says to me, or through circumstances, or through research, or through reading the Word.  It doesn't matter how He speaks, the point is, "am I being still and listening and therefore knowing that He is God," and really listening; or am I focusing on the thousands of noises around me each day, the distractions, the chaos?  

There must be a daily, intentional choice to be still and listen, and to know.  Like so many other things in a healthy life, it starts with a choice to "be" in a different way, to engage with the world in using my time in a different and better way.  Engaging with others in alternate ways, making provisions to do things in another way, or plan to do something in a new way.  One thing is for sure, if I don't think about it, plan for it, and do something about it, IT WILL NOT GET DONE--this I know for sure, without a doubt.