Be still
Be still and know
Be still and know that I am
Be still and know that I am God

Reading those words of Psalm 46 verse 10 laid out in this way I was moved to meditation:

Be still

What does it mean? How do you do it?

Does it mean stop moving about — sit still or stand still: just look around and listen, or close your eyes.

Try to find the centre point of the turning wheel of your own existence. There’s movement all around you — but you are still.

Of course you can’t have perfect stillness in this life — your heart is beating and your mind is always active.

Perhaps it means “being aware” of the movement around you. Knowing, but at a deeper level than usual, what’s going on.

So…

Be still and know

Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Along with wisdom and understanding, we are saved by knowledge. God whom to know is eternal life. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.

Can we know God as God knows us? Can we by searching find out God? The implied answer to that Biblical question is a resounding “No”. But is there not a promise “seek and you will find”

We live with that paradox: and somehow “being still” is the solution to it. An obscure Old Testament reference (2 Chronicles 20:17) tells us to “stand still and see the victory of God on your behalf”.

Knowing that you can’t do anything to find God is actually the way to be “found by God”.

And so paradoxically, being found you also find what you’re looking for.

But there’s more to it yet…

Be still and know that I am

I AM, of course, is the great revelation to Moses — Yahweh — that continuous tense of the verb “to be”. God is “being” itself… the source and ground of all being.

Getting to know God, you have to start with yourself. Accept the wonder, the miracle of your own being. Say to yourself “I am”… and let the wonder of it sweep you up. Wow! How on earth do you respond to that discovery!

Get to know yourself (and love yourself!): look into your heart — examine your behaviour and your motives.

You are not what you could be; strive to be your “best” self. Reach out for that which can enable it to happen.

You will be affirmed in who you are, and encouraged to become the person you could be. And as this is happening you will be getting to know God as intimately as God knows you.

And it will be as if someone were saying to you…

Be still and know that I am God

And you will smile and be at peace.