Stillness is how we remember that God is God and we are not.
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
What does “Stillness” mean in Psalm 46:10?
The Hebrew word for be still is raphah, which means to let go and stop striving. The psalm calls people to cease their frantic effort and to know who God is.
Going deeper
Psalm 46 is set in the middle of upheaval. The earth shakes, mountains fall into the sea, and nations rage, yet the psalmist is calm because God is a refuge and a very present help. The command to be still comes in the middle of all that noise. It is an invitation to release the effort of holding everything together and to remember that God is in charge.
The end of the second week of Advent is a good moment to slow down. Most of us have a to-do list that is longer than the time we have. Take five minutes today with no phone and no music. Breathe slowly. Say the verse quietly, and let each line fall away until you reach know that I am God. You do not have to earn peace by getting everything done. It is found by remembering who is holding the world, and it is held safely.
Reflect
What would it look like to be still for five minutes today, and what might you hear?
Pray
God, You are my refuge and my strength. Quiet my mind, and help me to know that You are God. In Jesus' name, amen.
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