Be Still!

Psalms 46:10a
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; "

God's power and might were manifest if we had the hearts to perceive. This verse tells us how to acquire that type of heart. We have to be still and listen.

To have full knowledge of the greatness of God requires us to be still. This implies that busyness will keep us from that knowledge. Being still is talking about more than not moving; it is speaking of meditating and being reflective. We must calm ourselves and spend time just musing on the goodness and greatness of God. A hectic lifestyle is detrimental to really knowing God. (Ps 143:5) 5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.

The word "muse" is defined as "To ponder, consider, or deliberate at length." It is used in the same sentence with the word "meditate," and I believe they are related. In fact, this same Hebrew word was translated "meditate" five times in the Old Testament (Ps 119:15, 23, 48, 78, and 148). Musing is just another word for meditating. It is focusing upon something long and hard enough in our thoughts until it forms an image in our imagination. If this is negative, it's what the Scripture calls vain or evil imaginations (Ge 6:5 and 2Co 10:5), and if it's positive, it's what the Scripture calls hope. And as we imagine in our hearts, that's the way we are (Pr 23:7).

I woke up one morning with the reference "Ps 46:10" going over and over in my mind. Even though I was very familiar with this verse, I couldn't remember what it said. So I looked it up and decided that day I would literally sit totally still for one hour and see what happened. It was amazing. I sat on our porch and noticed things I would normally have missed. For instance, I noticed thousands of ants that I normally wouldn't have paid any attention to. I noticed the wind in the trees. I noticed sounds and smells that I would have missed if I had been busy doing something else.

So one of the things I think this verse is instructing us to do is to quit being so busy that we don't notice God's working. It's always going on, but we often miss it in our busyness. Stillness increases our awareness. God is being exalted among the heathen and all throughout the earth, but we can miss this if we are too busy with the affairs of this life.

(Mr 4:19). but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

The point being made by this third type of ground is that we only have so much attention. If we want fruitfulness, we need to focus on the Word and not other things that can occupy us. Just as the earth only has so many nutrients and weeds take nourishment that could be going to the desired plant, so all the things of this world will steal energy from us that could be going into the Word of God.

Notice that these aren't necessarily bad things. We have to be occupied with the affairs of this life to a degree. But there has to be a proper balance among job, family, leisure, and the Word. We don't strike this balance once and are through with it. This is something that constantly varies based on our seasons of life. The only way to maintain the proper balance is to maintain a vibrant relationship with the Lord. He will reveal to us any time we begin to be too focused on something other than Him (Php 3:15).

The strength of the laser lies in its focus. If the focus is diffused, the laser ceases to be powerful. Likewise, the power of the Christian is amplified by a single focus. The way to destroy a man's vision is to give him two.

(Php 3:13) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

The "thus minded" Paul is speaking of is the single-mindedness he had just described, where he is forgetting everything else and seeking only after God. When we do that, if we begin to think otherwise, the Lord will reveal that unto us. This is a promise that when we are putting first the kingdom of God, the Lord will show us if we begin to get off track. That's a wonderful promise. We don't have to be introspective. We just have to seek the Lord with all our hearts.

Matthew 6:33
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Notice the use of the word "first." This is speaking of priorities. We have to focus some attention on earthly things, but they should never be our priority. God and His kingdom should always come first in our priorities. When they are, He supernaturally takes care of all the natural things we need.

Matthew 5:8
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

The word pure is being used such as a purebred animal. Comes from a single line of ancestry, such as a Labrador Retriever is a purebred dog. Pure meaning singular, with the exclusion of all others. So when we are purely seeking God and nothing else (exclusion of all else) is when we will see God.

You want to hear from God? Be Still! Seek the Lord! Exclude all else! Be of singular thought towards Jesus.