AUGUST 2009 DEVOTION

Sometimes "Be still" means BE STILL!

"Be still, and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10

I have been running like the Energizer Bunny throughout the summer.  I graduated two children at the end of May, married off a son in July, and have travelled back and forth to the Outer Banks multiple times to cheer on another son's baseball team.  I've driven hundreds (probably thousands) of miles and gone to bed later than I ever have in my life!  I got home from the Outer Banks last Tuesday night at 1am then turned around Wednesday and drove my girls to a concert in Greensboro which we got home from around 1:30am!  My body finally screamed, "Enough!"

To put it simply, I was pretty sick from Thursday through Saturday this past week.  My head felt like it was in a vice-grip with The Incredible Hulk pressing it together.  One side of my nose was a running faucet while the other was painfully clogged - am I sharing too much here?  The importance of these descriptions is to relate that my only relief came when I was perfectly still - either sleeping or sitting (standing was out of the question for the most part).  I read a lot, slept a lot, and of course, chatted with the Lord even more!

One of His clearest words to me during this time was Psalm 46:10.  He has encouraged me with this verse many times in my life, but more often than not it included some type of activity while I was also "being still" and "knowing Him."  Thursday - Saturday He made it very clear - Karen, be still!  When I got up to do the laundry or check my email, and then almost fell over (literally), I finally got it.

Of course, the lesson went much deeper as I pondered it in the STILLNESS of my bed.  Oftentimes we simply refuse to believe God doesn't want us DOING something.  He does not promote laziness, slothfulness, or wastefulness, but He does believe in godly rest, timing, and patience.  He also wants us to simply KNOW HIM, and at times there is no other way than through complete stillness.

How well do you know God?  Would you take time to "be still" - really still - and know Him today?

Let's pray.  Father, thank You for the joy of knowing You!  May we all learn to be still and know You more and more each day!  In Jesus' Precious Name we pray.  Amen.