Be Still

Today there is a gray crane standing in the pond shallows. His light colored feathers are in such stark contrast against the dark green of the trees and bushes that line the pond’s bank that he was easy to spot. What is so amazing about this bird is how perfectly still he is standing. He looks like a statue you might see in a garden, but ever so slowly he shifts himself by turning about one-quarter turn and once again is stark still.

The first thing that came into my head was a verse from Psalm 46; verse 10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Although a simple statement, it’s so full of power. By just being quiet and still and opening our minds and hearts, we can be assured by God that He truly is the Great I Am. When we surrender to Him in the stillness of the day, we experience His peace, which passes all understanding, even in the midst of turmoil.

The following is an excerpt from an article in Christian Courier by Jason Jackson and I think it clearly explains my thoughts in this devotion:

“So as your world crumbles around you, the call from Scripture is: don’t flinch in faith in God. Stand still—not because of a self-made confidence, not because you are the most composed person in the face of disaster, not because you’ve seen it all.

“Be still because of what you know about God.

It is “God’s past” that provides calm for “our future.” Know that he is God! Know it, not merely intellectually, but practically, spiritually, and emotionally. He is your God. He is the ruler of kingdoms of this earth and the all-powerful Creator of the Universe.”

Has life’s busyness overshadowed your stillness?

Oh, step back and let God wrap His loving arms around you as you are still. Relish in the power and peace of your Heavenly Father in the serenity of His presence.