A Holy Lifeline
If you’ve been a follower of Jesus for any length of time, I would bet you have heard, and possibly-fallen-in-love-with-to-the-point-of-calling-it-your-life-verse:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
In fact, I’ll bet many of the writers for this blog saw our topic, stillness, and thought nearly instantaneously of this verse, which, I’m betting, is hidden in so many of our hearts (because based on this intro, evidently, I’m a betting woman). What a gentle, healing salve for a hurting, tired, trying-so-hard-to-be-all-things-to-all-people, wounded soul.
This verse was my first holy lifeline –
– the first time I really grasped an inkling of the idea that God could handle the world, and I could take its concerns off my shoulders. Yes, I know I sound more than a bit narcissistic in thinking that the world could be controlled by anyone other than God, but let’s just say He met me and meets me where I’m at! Psalm 46:10 took hold of me at just the right time (funny how God’s timing is perfect), and gave me a thirst for learning more about this God who could handle everything, and was exalted within the world. To be honest – my focus was on the first part of the verse. I think that was about all I could take in at the time. Sometimes, it’s still all I can take in.
I believe most young mamas NEED this verse.
I know I did. I had my babies at age 27 and 29; lost my mom unexpectedly two weeks before I turned 30, and moved to Washington state right after I turned 32. My husband and I moved out here for a bit of a new start, and for an opportunity for him to stay home with us more often. He had been traveling approximately 80% of the time, leaving me exhausted and lonely, and himself feeling like he was missing out on his babies’ lives. By moving to WA, we were assured of at least two, and possibly four years of less than 20% travel. Sold. My story isn’t that unusual. Young mamas are just tired. Worn thin. Trying so hard to show that they have parenting down pat, can work a full-time job or side hustle if needed, serve in their churches and/or communities, and are happy to keep house, exercise daily, prepare and eat a homemade, GMO-free meal around the table as a family, and have killer sex at the end of each day. Man, our Western culture does a number on us, right?
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
Stillness is so alien in our culture-
—so often it is equated with laziness. I see this as a direct hit from the deceiver, Satan. I have a very difficult time doing soul-filling things such as being still, working on a hobby, taking a walk, puttering, taking a complete Sabbath rest without guilt and shame. Why? Well, because even though I’m now a less young mama (ahem), the laundry and housework still beckon, thoughts swirl about the job I recently began, and I constantly vacillate between thinking I’m serving enough/thinking of others – especially my family and church—and really wanting a vacation from it all.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
There are a number of verses in addition to this one which God keeps nestled in my heart for those times when shame and guilt whisper and nag, which is why, even though it’s not sexy or flashy, I’m thankful for the discipline and honor of sitting with Him and drinking in His word. If you’re not in your Bible at least several times a week, I want to encourage you to do this for yourself. Even meditating on one verse, or reading for five minutes a day grows one’s spiritual armor and defends us against internalizing the crap Satan and our worldly culture serve up. God is so GOOD because He knows that even though I do love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, that I am still a forgetful human living in a world of sin, still far from perfect, am still challenged by BEING STILL.
God doesn’t want my guilt and shame.
Jesus died to free me from that. He wants my heart. God wants me to know that He can handle the world. My job is to begin each day (or perhaps end it) by being still, so He can speak into my life in whatever way He will, to help me love others as He has loved me. My job is to be an open vessel, receiving his Spirit, and pouring it out onto others, so that He can refill me each day. Open vessels have two jobs – to be still enough that they don’t spill, and to pour out. Once filled by the Holy Spirit, I can use my God-given hands, feet, eyes, ears, and heart of Jesus to pour out His love completely, confidently knowing that I will be refilled, because His love and Spirit are endless. When I am still, He will refill. If I‘m never still, how can I allow what has been given me to be used for His glory? If I’m never still, how will I rest in Him? If I’m never still, how will Holy Spirit renew me?
Jesus, I thank You for Your Spirit, poured out into me. I pray for myself and any sister or brother who needs this prayer that You would help us be still and KNOW that you are God. Give the exhausted your rest, Jesus. Holy Spirit, show us when to stop and be filled, and when to pour out with abandon, knowing that You will FAITHFULLY renew us again. Help us to Sabbath well, Father, as You command. Help us to love well because You loved us first. Remind us of the freedom we have in the adoption as Your beloved children. May Your beautiful, perfect will be done. Always. In Jesus’ name, amen. Soli Deo Gloria!
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
- A Friend In Need - August 31, 2018
- Breakin’ It Down - July 23, 2018
- Lean on Me - May 18, 2018
“My job is to be an open vessel, receiving his Spirit, and pouring it out onto others, so that He can refill me each day.”
I love this! In my new job, I have a really great opportunity to pour into students, and how true it is that you can’t pour into others unless you are allowing yourself to be still and filled with grace and truth!
So many good nuggets in this post, Gretchen. As Amber used to say, this is some really good junk!
“If I‘m never still, how can I allow what has been given me to be used for His glory? If I’m never still, how will I rest in Him? If I’m never still, how will Holy Spirit renew me?”
Doesn’t it seem so odd in this world that we have to practice to be still? That being still is not seen as reward, a gift or a moment of time with Jesus after our busyness, but instead is viewed as something wrong? Loved this, Gretchen!
“God wants me to know that He can handle the world. ” Yes, yes he can. But we think we are so good at it from time to time. It takes some stillness to remember that the world is still spinning, and the birds are still chirping, and the sun is still shining without any of our doing, right? Thx for the reminder, Gretchen, that I can take all of those things off my to-do list. (;o)
It has definitely been a lifeline, over here, Gretchen. I work the sound booth at church, and it’s interesting to look down and see the congregation’s body language during certain songs. The reactions to the song, “Still”, prove that we all are longing to rest in Him. Like you said, “When I am still, He will refill.”