Be Still

Be Still and know that I am God Ps. 46:10
"Be Still" What a concept for us in this day and age. I've been contemplating this for a long time in reference to many areas of life. I'm going to discuss what keeps us from being still, and why we need to be still.I've noticed in America, that being still is not something we want to do. Very few people are still voluntarily. Our society looks down on being still. We feel guilty like we're wasting time if we're still. Stores are now open 24 hours a day, restaurants are open later and later, even open 24 hours a day. With the boom of the Internet, and cable television, we now have both of those 24 hours a day. I'm old enough to remember that television stations used to sign off at night and be off the air until morning. Now, you can find a million ways to waste your money and lots worse on the television all night long. Since the World Trade Center bombings, we now can hear and see the news, and read it across the bottom of the screen all at the same time. The Internet is a huge lure to avoid being still. While it used to be enough just to "surf the net" and get information, and shop; we are now living out our social lives through Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites.Now, I'm not saying that these things are evil in themselves; but I am saying that we have to take a hard look at these things, just like any other thing like television, movies, music and ask ourselves "Is this drawing me closer to God?" I am constantly checking to make sure things in my life have not become idols. I feel that the anonymous/fantasy element of the Internet has a great lure that could take over if we are not careful. I know because I've been there, and it was only God's grace that I did not ruin myself.What are the benefits to being still? First, it gives the body and mind rest. I've heard it said that in this day and age of convenience, we accomplish 2-3 times what we used to in years past. While some people may see that as productive, I also see it as wearing on our bodies and minds 2-3 times faster. Our bodies need times of rest, and I am convinced our minds need it as well. The mental aspect may not be a visible, but it is true all the same. Being still also gives us a chance to stop and assess where we are. There have been times when I've taken a "time out" and realized that I need more sleep, or need to drink more water or eat more healthfully. If we stay in the rat race, we may not notice those things until it's too late. I also believe that being still gives God an opportunity to commune with us. Think about it, what kind of relationship would you have with your spouse if you only passed each other and never really stopped to talk? It would be difficult to have a deep relationship because you would never really know each other. When we stop and be still especially to spend time with God, we are showing Him that we want to invest in our relationship with Him. Again, think in the natural. When we want to invest in a relationship, we spend time finding out what the other persons likes and dislikes are. We spend time doing things that they like to do. We spend time trying to make them happy. Why should this be any different for our relationship with God?It's interesting to me how often we are willing to sit still for many things other than God. We'll sit for two hours and watch a movie or even longer to watch sports. How much more important is our relationship with our Creator? I have found that it is not always easy to discipline myself to be still, but because I know the benefits of being still are great I push past all the noise and get myself to a place of stillness. Busyness is something we need to be aware of, and do what we can to mitigate the busyness in our lives. God knew what He was doing when He included the verse "Be still and know that I am God" in the Bible.What happens when we don't know God? I am immediately drawn to Hosea 4. In this chapter, the Lord has a controversy with the children of Israel. He says in verse 1 that there is no faithfulness, love, pity and mercy or knowledge of God [ from personal experience with Him] in the land. When you follow down to verse 6, you find an often misquoted verse. It reads from the amplified Bible "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you [the priestly nation]have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you that you shall be no more preist to Me; seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children." We often use this verse to promote "learning", but what this is saying is that they have a lack of knowledge of God. He is judging the priests because they reject knowledge of God. II Timothy 3 says in verses 5, 7 "For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [ their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid all such people. [These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth."I feel that if we don't know God, it is a double punishment. Not only can we fall into error, and risk condemnation; but also, we do not the the good things we need to know to keep our faith. We will not understand God, we will not know or believe His promises to us. If we don't know God, how can we survive life in the world? Romans 10: 17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Have you ever been to Jamba Juice? They ask if you want a free boost in your smoothie. The Word of God is like a Jamba boost. It's a faith boost. From all the things I've read in the Bible about the end times, I know I need that boost for my faith.So, I guess the question is, Do you know how to "Be still and know that I am God" ?