August 13, captivated, silent, content
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
I arrived home one evening a bit more depleted than usual. A non-stop day full of hospital visits, two committee meetings, a series of problem-solving conversations, and a few hours of intense study had pressed the boundaries of my day. I walked in our home prepared to drop my satchel, collapse on the couch and slowly drift into a vegetative state. But as soon as my feet crossed the threshold of our front door, I recognize some incredibly beautiful praise music my wife had playing throughout our home. (It was as if God called her ahead and said, “he’s going to need this.”) And, immediately my soul felt peace. It was then that God tenderly but clearly reminded me that in all of my business for Him that day (which included the usual time of prayer and Bible study before sunup) I had not truly been with Him. At that very moment, He gave me these words . . . captivated, silent, content!
Captivated! Are we so entrenched in our religious duties that we have not allowed our hearts to truly be captivated by the beauty of the Lord? Are we so hurried that we have lost the sacred art of being still before the greatness of God? Have we missed the beauty of our Lord? Psalm 27:4 re-centers us on the beauty of God’s presence. Spend time there!
One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.
Silent! How quiet do we allow our lives to become as we dwell in God’s presence? We move from one conversation to the next with our words – written or spoken. We constantly dwell within noise. But, have the sounds of life drowned out the quiet whisper of God’s voice within our souls? How quiet do we allow our lives to become before God? Silent. Can you take a moment to sit quietly before God until you learn to value the silence of His presence? The Psalmist has reminded us of the necessary value of tranquility:
Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:7a)
Be Still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
Content! How entertained in your physical senses do you have to become until you feel satisfied? The culture constantly offers our human appetites the next experience of what is good and pleasant to the senses. We, in our own unintentional indulgences, crave that which awakens our taste, our hearing, and our sight. Our minds search for the next sound bite of information and entertainment that causes us to feel relaxed, comfortable, and psychologically fulfilled. But, have we lost the contentment of simply existing as a spiritual being in God’s presence? Have we lost our spiritual senses in a culture saturated with physical sensations? Can we not find soul-contentment simply in resting with God? The Psalmist proclaimed:
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. (Psalm 17:15)
Captivated! Silent! Content! Isn’t it time we return to defined moments of quietly dwelling in God’s presence?
Blessings.
READ
Read Psalm 46:1-11 and be still before God in these turbulent times.
