What does it mean to be still?
… ceasing our wordy prayers and listening to His still, small voice
… ceasing our strivings and leaning on Him with child-like trust
… ceasing our doing for Him and simply being with Him
God’s word speaks to us about being still:
Be still and know that I am God. ~ Psalm 46:10
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. ~ Psalm 37:7
When you are on your bed, search your heart and be silent. ~ Psalm 4:4
In repentance and rest is my salvation, in quietness and trust is my strength. ~ Isaiah 30:15
The Sabbath “‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the LORD. ~ Leviticus 23:3
Amidst the fast paced, chaos of 21st century living, how can we be still when there is so much to do and so little time? With the long “to do” list that waits for me, I can’t afford to take a Sabbath … can I? I am learning that I can’t afford not to.
We are God’s creations. He knows and wants what is best for us.
The Psalms often remind us to be still if we want to experience God’s presence. Exodus and Leviticus are full of passages commanding us to rest on the seventh day and reminding us that this is a lasting ordinance with the promise of blessing for keeping the Sabbath holy and rather severe repercussions for disobedience.
I don’t want to be legalistic but I do want to honour God and so am wrestling to make Sabbath and daily stillness a reality in my life and finding that there is great blessing in this. More than any sacrifice of duty or service that we can offer Him, God desires and is thrilled by our BEING with Him. Out of the BEING comes DOING in the center of His good and perfect will for us.
I believe that one of the main reasons that God led us to Bethesda is to learn more about this in our lives and to share this simple truth with others who come here.
Following the Way, the Truth, and the Life and only by His Grace,
Rob
The song Still by Reuben Morgan (Hillsong) has meant a lot to us on this journey.
Listen / watch here.
