Be Still

A few months ago our Pastor preached on Psalm 46:10, specifically 'Be still and know that I am God'.  He shared a lot of great insights in these 8 words, how they apply to our lives and took us through some of the context of the passage.  But I have to admit I that I was in a semi non-productive state as far as my listening skills were concerned.  The second he spoke the words be still and know my mind started to race.

I began writing down and picking apart how many ways these words can be emphasized in our lives, what situations they could apply to, and if by removing one word, or rearranging them a little the context for our life changes almost completely from what we see in this passage.

I'll take you through some of them and add some emphasis for different context, feel free to add your own in the comments.

BE STILL and know that I am God - ever feel so busy that you started to think of your self as greater then who you actually are.  Perhaps you were accomplishing some great things in this time of business, and your ego got a little too large for your circumstance, BE STILL, know that HE is God.

Be still and KNOW that I am God - sure we talk about it, maybe even try to live our live this way, to know that He is God, that he has everything under control, that God has perfect timing for whatever comes into our lives, and he will make all thing work together for good.  BUT do we really fully understand what it means to trust and know that He is God?  I can say the words over and over, I know that you are God, but do I really trust him to act on that?  Because at the root, intrinsically designed into the knowledge that He is God, is the action of believing that He will be God, and He will act on all that He has promised.  Know that He is God and in this your heart, your mind, your fears, your anxiety and all that doubt can be still.

Be still AND KNOW that I am God - these two words create an action on our part, an opportunity to bring our faith to the front of our lives.  If the verse read 'Be still I am God' there is now no action required of us, God places all the emphasis on himself in this case, it almost becomes a command to us, Be still my servants, I am God.  Like a scolding father to his children running around the house.  But with the AND KNOW we are given the opportunity to act on this comment from God, and have faith that he will stand by us.

Be still and know that I AM GOD - not that I feel an overt need to explain this one, but here it is.  Adding emphasis here we are given the assurance, that the creator, the one who loves us, chases us, embraces us and disciplines us, is indeed the one true God.  Imagine the thoughts process if it read be still and know that I am A god.  Question after question floods my mind, which god, where are you, who do you favor, how do I meet your requirements?  Instead "I am God' reassures me that I only have to live a life that can bring glory to the Father and he will take care of the rest.  This statement gives me peace, that no other god is out there that is higher then the one speaking to me, no other god has the ability to give and take away, no other god can change the circumstance of my life.  Why?  Because the one I serve has offered me peace in the statement, Be still and know that I AM GOD.

Finally my favorite.

BE STILL and know that I am God - what are you doing right now?  Stop.  What are you thinking about?  Stop.  What are you listening to, watching, reading (yes even this post)?  Stop.



Now listen.