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Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God."

Be still. No matter how relaxed of a person we are, at some point of the day or week or month or year or hour we all need a strong, powerful and gentle voice telling us to stop what we are doing or feeling and be at peace. This psalm is a perfect ray of sunshine for us to lay still under in our very scary, busy, shaken up world. It opens with the consolation that God is our constant, present help when the world terrifies us. He is always always always near. Always. Then as we scroll down the psalm and it speaks more of the very powerful presence and character of God, we are somewhat abruptly told to be still and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is God.

I don't know much about things, really. But one thing I have noticed from my short time on this earth, is that things are getting quicker, faster and more hectic. It's like we're all in fast forward. Things are moving fast. You may lead a quiet and peaceful life, yet the raging storms of wars and broken people around you give you fear and anxiety. And even if you don't realize it, your mind is speeding down a list of worst case scenarios or fears and you forget that God is always the strong and powerful God no matter what the world is saying. Or, perhaps you may be so exhausted from life that you very obviously and literally need to take this verse to your heart of hearts and be still and remember who is God.

You could be a parent running around busy trying to catch a breath and you literally need to take five minutes to remember that God is God and He is the center of everything; or you could be watching the ridiculous nightly news reminded and panicked with the state of the earth and feeling hopeless and it would help you to turn off the TV and look to heaven our hope; or you could be sitting alone on your couch, lonely and depressed, and even the voices in your head, your only friends, are lonely. And you need to silence the voices and put on some happy music and remember Jesus, who is God; you could be in the middle of hell on earth and you need to still the emotions and overwhelmed state of your entire being and while you may literally be unable to stop physically, deep deep down you must be still and at peace knowing who sits on the throne.

David wrote this psalm. He was a warrior often on the battle field with his men literally at war. And He knew that in it all, when it all got too much, He had to be still in his heart and mind and soul, and sometimes his body, and know that God is God. He is the one who will be lifted up in every nation. Be still.