By: Wendy Duckworth Vance
We are surrounded by a cacophony of noise both visual and auditory in our modern world. This noise competes for our attention from the fulfillment of the ought to and musts of meeting the responsibilities for our families to the activities that scream at us that if we don’t participate, we are missing out on life, on the world. This isn’t only true of adults, but children also, every moment there is some activity - school, sports, music lessons, doing this and doing that. It is a seemingly endless chaos of motion from the time our eyes open in the morning until they close again at night. No moment for stillness, reflection or even real genuine quality time to relate to others around us because even in those moments we are doing something else while we talk. And should we take a moment of “stillness” and “rest” we seemingly cannot stand the silence of not “doing” something so we fill the time with television and smart devices so that there is never a moment in which our attention is not captured or divided.
In this world of constant noise and chaos we question why marriages cannot stand, why young people are looking for “love” in the arms of every other person that looks their way, why people are seeking to find some semblance of peace inside a bottle, a pill, or a needle - anything to silence the chaos, to put an end to the pain of needing something but not even knowing what that something is for which they are searching.
But even in searching for some sense of peace, a stilling of the chaos, we cannot seem to do the one thing that would bring us to this place of peace. And what is it we are not doing? We are not taking time to be in communication with our Lord and creator, building a relationship with Him. We just do not seem to have any more room on our plates for even one more thing in the whirling, swirling chaos of our day. Given that our lives have become so full that we do not even have room for our Heavenly Father, is it possible that our world of convenience and endless entertainments have been carefully constructed as a barrier between us and God? If we are so blinded and deafened by the noise of the world that we cannot hear Him or see Him, then we become vulnerable, our armor becomes weak as we drown in the sea of darts thrown at us by the enemy. God tells us, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
But you may say this verse is about God being exalted in all nations, this is what He tells us in the rest of the verse. He tells us that this is the reason to be still and know, to exalt Him - surely this has nothing to do with relationship or being vulnerable to the enemy.
You may say that there is nothing wrong with being busy.
And others may say, “I am busy doing the work of the Lord so, of course, I am spending time with God, I am doing His will, the enemy can’t possibly have me trapped in chaos”.
I would propose that perhaps in this short verse there is more than is seen at first glance, that it is even deeper. Yes, God wants to be and should be exalted, but God is also always looking out for His children. Yeshua tells us in John 10:10 that He has come so that we can have life and to have it abundantly as opposed to the enemy’s desire and mission to kill, steal and destroy. Do you see any evidence of destruction, having anything stolen from your life or death that would seem to be the product of constant chaos?
Knowing that it is not within the character of God to lie, does it not stand to reason that if He says that He wants us to have abundant life, that He fully intends to provide that to His children?
Inside of His matchless love for us, is it possible that He is telling us to be still and know for a reason beyond exaltation?
Is there a benefit to being still, to knowing God is creator, provider, that He is, in fact, in control?
Could it be that there is something in the still and quiet place to which He is calling us which connects us to abundant life, to peace and joy?
Let us look for a moment at Mark 4:36-40. It is a story that most of you have probably heard or read before, Yeshua (Jesus) and the disciples are in a boat going across the sea of Galilee. During the voyage a fierce storm arises, and the Bible says that the boat is nearly swamped with water. In the chaos of the storm the disciples become afraid, unsettled and in this state of terror they shout to Yeshua to wake Him up as He is sleeping. They ask Him if He cares if they drown. When Yeshua wakes, He says to the disciples, “you of little faith” and to the storm “peace, be still”. Why does it need to be still? Because in the stillness, the disciples could clearly see to whom they were speaking, for they say “even the wind and sea obey Him,” I believe in this moment they see that He is fully in control. But in the chaos, they could see only the chaos, not that in their midst was the One who is creator, provider, the One who is in control of all things, the One who stills the chaos and brings us peace.
Is the same not true of us? In the chaos, we cannot see anything but the chaos. We begin to feel that there is nothing but the chaos. We cannot hear the voice of God; we cannot see His hand in our lives because we are so caught up in the storm and looking for an escape of our own making. But God says to us “Be still and know that I am God.” For when we go to the still and quiet place with Him, He binds up our wounds, holds us close and says “peace, be still” to the storm. In those moments we build a relationship with our Father who loves us so much, He wants peace and joy for his people. Peace and joy are abundant life, not the things of this world. He is that something that we will never find in the noise that fills our days. He is our Sar Shalom, our prince that brings peace even in the rages of life’s storms.
I invite you today to set aside a portion of each day to spend time with Yeshua. Spend time in the Word, in prayer, take time to listen for His still, quiet voice. Start with maybe 15 minutes of time when you are completely alone with Him, no interruptions, no devices, just alone enjoying a conversation with the Father. If you don’t have a place alone in your home, go for a walk on a hiking trail and marvel at the beautiful canvas of color with which He has blessed us, for all creation cries out glory to His name. In that still and quiet place know that He is God and surrender all to Him for He has the peace you are seeking. In Him find rest for your weary soul.
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