Be Still and Know

Psalm 46:10 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

In the turbulent storms and waves of life, God and His sovereignty calm me.

The picture of Jesus, calming the wind and waves is a great reminder. It reminds me of who is guiding the ship.

It’s in the moments when life is like a raging sea, that God and his mercy, stop me! Literally, in my tracks.

What seems unclear becomes clear. I ‘let go of the reins’ and God takes hold. My mind seems to think it can control my universe, instead, in these moments, the maker of the universe takes control.

It is not a one-time event either. God and His gracious control steer me every day. God continuously saves us from ourselves. Much like a Father cares for his child.

Our Refuge

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. — (Psalms 46:1)

God is our refuge and strength. Notice the “is” in verse one! God, in his nature and by nature is a refuge. That makes us refugees. We run to God. Not the other way around.

God is our strength. Implied, is the understanding we don’t have the strength. We need God to be our strength because we don’t possess the necessary strength.

In the “present”, the psalmist finds himself in “trouble”. It’s safe to say, we are no different. We find ourselves in present difficulties. We need salvation from our troubles too.

No matter how bad it gets.

“though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. ”

Psalm 46:2–3

We know God is stronger! He is a sure, sturdy, and rock-solid foundation. He is our refuge!

A Righteous Defender

Surprisingly, the stillness and peace we have in God are directly tied to His wrath. Those who are consciously aware of God’s destructive power, are those, who can rest in His strength.

God uses His own power to silence enemies.

“Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. ”

Psalms 46:8–9

Peace comes from God’s power. The knowledge of God’s ability to silence enemies allows His children to be still amidst desolation, destruction, and inevitable death.

On this point, I reflect on the martyrs. The martyrs were the earlier Christians who ‘stood their ground’, in the face of insurmountable odds.

Christians … love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life. They are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

(ch. 5) Letters to Diognetus AD 80–200 (https://www.christian-history.org/martyrdom-quotes.html)

Conclusion

The quote above reflects stillness. In the face of the worst; Christians can keep hope. Instead of looking at the world, we look up to God. His attributes and character are more than enough sustenance.

God is just in the face of injustice. God is love in the face of hate. God is kind in the face of mockery. God is grace in the face of condemnation.

And because He is,

We can be still.

When we are troubled, accused, mocked, persecuted, killed, dishonored, misunderstood, rejected, wronged, and surrounded by evil.

Be still and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10a