"Be still, and know that I am God....”
Psalms 46:10
"Hudson Taylor (British Protestant Christian missionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission) was so weak and feeble in the last few months of his life that he told a friend, “I am so weak I cannot write. I cannot read my Bible. I cannot even pray. All I can do is lie still in the arms of God as a little child, trusting him.” This wonderful man of God, who had great spiritual power, came to the point of physical suffering and weakness where all he could do was lie still and trust." (Streams in the Desert)
At first when I read this I thought how precious, that even if I am unable to do anything physically I can still have sweet communion with my God. THAT really IS precious! But upon further pondering I felt a bit sad ...sad that I don't have to be physically disabled or incapacitated to be still with my God. That sweet communion should be happening everyday as I'm going about daily life.
"The idea is not that the faithful reader should stop activity and stand in one place. The sense is more that argument and opposition should stop and be still. This is done in recognition of God's glory and greatness..." (EWC)
I think a lot about the amount of alone time I have. It's really hard to direct my thoughts and keep them from going to places that no longer have value. I'm not going to spend my retirement years with the man I shared life with for 41 years and I don't know what or if God has anything grand for me to DO in these coming years. What I DO know, with 100% certainty, is that my ability to "be still" is a "skill" I have not learned yet.
Years ago I could be totally content to be in my house for days and days. The way I looked at it and expressed it then was like this, "My HOUSE was my workplace 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. When it wasn't it was my opportunity to enjoy it as my HOME."
Now, 24 hours a day, seven days a week it is my home. And for some reason it is ridiculously hard to be here. I suspect a huge part of it is because it's just me. I often find myself hard to live with 🤦🏻♀️. Beyond that I feel the need to be busy. To be doing..... something....anything....
I haven't made a New Year's resolution in a very, very long time. I start out gangbusters and fade quickly. To me it's another failure to add to my pile. This year, with God's strength, courage, wisdom and direction I want to learn how to, "Be still and KNOW that he IS God.." I want to cling tightly to this scripture passage:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:6-9
And the peace of God, which transcends ALL understanding WILL guard my heart!!
Lord, 2022 is here and I want to be still and know that you are God. I want to learn how to turn my thoughts towards you and rest in the peace you promise when I do just that. I want my mind to be filled with that which is TRUE, NOBLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY, ADMIRABLE, EXCELLENT & PRAISEWORTHY. Only by learning to rest in you can I have peace. I KNOW it in my head....Lord please take that head knowledge and show me what it feels like in my heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment