Posted by Be Still And Know…
Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
This Psalm begins with a horrific picture of the earth being engulfed in violent destructive forces. In the midst of falling mountains and the roaring of the seas; The Psalmist with a calm demeanor stands strong in the Presence of God, protected from the surrounding storms. This graphic word picture is meant to contrast the hopeless condition of being at the mercy of the elements, with the safety of being hidden in God as the only shelter from the dangers that surround.
Twice the Psalmist says “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (verses 7 and 11). This is a call to stop and take note of the deep security that comes from making God our refuge and strength. God has all the forces of creation, as well as the outcome of every decision of every person on earth under His control. Nothing that takes place throughout the universe escapes God’s notice, is beyond is control, or ever catches Him by surprise. All is well with those who have found refuge in the Presence of God; they know that all things will eventually conform to the purpose of His will.
Verse 10 is a call to all who struggle, strive, and war to have uncontrollable circumstances conform to their own desire. The picture here is one of God calling everyone to recognize that the struggle is useless in the face of such unconquerable forces. The idea is for those who do struggle to let their weapons drop to the ground, letting their arms hang down at their side and be still before the God of all creation.
God is in Control
We all have a war raging within us, and we’ve all experienced the urgent clamor of many voices pulling us in a thousand directions; from the depths of our soul they scream for recognition, and demand immediate action. God, on the other hand calls us to step back from the chaos, become quiet in His Presence, and experience the peace that can only come from acknowledging that He is the One who is exalted above all. When all is said and done, there is only God, and God alone who stands above all that is. The storms of life cannot destroy us and it’s useless to try controlling their outcome.
Learning to be quiet as we sit alone in God’s Presence is just such a call to be still. It is here in the stillness of waiting on God; that we experience our shelter from the turbulence that surrounds us. With God as our refuge we possess a depth of intimacy in our relationship with Him that will be otherwise unknown. God is beyond all the noise, the struggles, frustrations and anxieties of our hectic way of life. He is untouched and unmoved by earth’s upheavals, and so are all those who find their rest in Him.
He is Our Refuge
God calls you to His side to rest. Jesus says; “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Just as a wildlife refuge is meant to allow the animals to dwell peaceably, protected from the dangers of being hunted down and destroyed, so to is the peace and rest of those who have God as their refuge and strength.
There is a transforming power of the Holy Spirit that fills your entire being when you take the time to be quiet and let God take over the reins of your life. Begin today to recognize that God is your refuge from all that would otherwise do you harm. Separate yourself from all the noise around you, seek the solitude found only in the quietness of God’s amazing Presence and be at peace. Be still, take a deep breath and exhale, relax for a few moments. Be quiet in His Presence, recognize that He alone has everything under control. Be safe, Be at rest, and Be Encouraged! -JSP
Funny thing happens as you go through this 90 days of prayer ,before I read todays msg. I was thinking about being quiet before God the first words I wrote in my journal were “quiet my soul” there’s a synchronicity that takes place that’s pretty amazing.Thank you Lord.