Be Still!
Scripture — Psalm 46:10 (NRSV)
Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.
Focus
The season of Lent invites us into stillness. Though elsewhere in Scripture we are encouraged to share every thought and feeling with the Lord (Ps 55:22; Heb 4:16), in Psalm 46:10 the Lord asks us to draw near in stillness and silence. Yes, there is a time for not holding back with God, a time when we can tell God anything. But there is also a time when we are so spellbound by the presence and power of God that our words fail us. It seems only right to stop speaking and quiet both our mouths and our hearts. As we quietly attend to the grace and majesty of God, we are reassured by the fact that God is at work in all things for good, “for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).
This devotion is part of the Psalms for Lenten Devotion series.
Devotion
“Be still and know that I am God!” There are few verses in the whole Bible that I need to remember more than this one. Unfortunately, I am wired for anything other than stillness when it comes to knowing that God is God. When I face challenges or setbacks, even when doing work that I fully believe to be God’s work, my first inclination is to get moving and solve problems. My soul isn’t particularly suited for stillness in situations like these. I find it much more natural to worry, as if by fretting about something I could make it better. That’s why I need to hear the call of God to stillness in the knowledge that God is God, and I am not.
The verb translated as “be still” (raphah in Hebrew) is a curious one. Literally, it means, “to let something drop, to let go, or to abandon something.” In this verse, God is inviting us to let go of our busyness, to give up our empty striving, to abandon our worries. In place of our flurry of activity, both physical and emotional, we’re to rest in the knowledge that God is God, that God is in control, that God is sovereign over our lives even as God is Lord of heaven and earth.
Do you need to hear the invitation to stillness as much as I do today? Maybe this is God’s word for you right now: “Let go, be still, and know that I am God!”
The season of Lent invites us into stillness. Though elsewhere in Scripture we are encouraged to share every thought and feeling with the Lord (Ps 55:22; Heb 4:16), in Psalm 46:10 the Lord asks us to draw near in stillness and silence. Yes, there is a time for not holding back with God, a time when we can tell God anything. But there is also a time when we are so spellbound by the presence and power of God that our words fail us. It seems only right to stop speaking and quiet both our mouths and our hearts. As we quietly attend to the grace and majesty of God, we are reassured by the fact that God is at work in all things for good, “for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).
Reflect
When are you tempted to be rushed and worried rather than trusting God?
What helps you to be still and know that God is God?
Act
Set aside at least 5 minutes today for sitting quietly with the Lord. Don’t fill that time with lots of requests. Rather, in the silence, pay attention to God’s presence with you and how this presence makes a difference.
Pray
Thank you, gracious God, for this verse from Psalm 46. You know how much I need it. You know my ways, Lord, how easily I can rush about in anything but stillness, trying to solve the problems of my life. And if there’s nothing I can do actively, I’ll worry. I know this is silly, not to mention unfaithful. But I come by frantic activity so naturally. It’s wired into my DNA.
Help me, dear Lord, to let go of my need to control, of my worries, of my fears. Help me to drop my tendency to try and do it all myself, as if I were God. Instead, may I learn to be quiet enough to know that you are God, that you are gracious and good, that you are in charge. May I rest in your strength, and thus be still. Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: God’s Presence in the Midst of Disaster (Psalm 46).
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...