“Be still and know that I am God” doesn’t mean exactly what you think it means.
This verse has often served to help us to stop and reflect, right? Be still and know. Be still. I have thought about it many times when I feel flustered, overwhelmed, and over-caffeinated (which would account for most of my life 😉)
But in Hebrew, this word “still” means to “grow slack, release, or let go”. This is not a passive term, but a call to action.
And this is not a verse only for committed believers, but rather a command for a world in opposition to God.
David spends time in the first part of this chapter explaining the vast power of God and His control of the world and of our lives:
“Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts.” (Verse 6)
“He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire.” (verse 9)
Be still and know is a command to lay down your arms against God. It is a command aimed at a world who thinks it knows better than God.
This is not a call to quiet and reflective spaces, it’s a call to throw weapons to the ground. Anything that has been built up in our lives that opposes God, it’s time to use our muscles to tear it down (think demo day, ripping the walls down, throwing sinks kind of a thing) It's not cute. It's rough and tumble.
You don't come out of demo day neat and tidy.
Whether we throw our weapons down or attempt to keep using them to protect ourselves and make our own plans, God says; “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted above the earth.” (verse 10)
Tear down anything that puts the power in your hands instead of God’s hands. Tear down any notion that we can have victory over this world without God.
There is a place for reflection as God's child, but this is not that place. Be still and know that I am God is a reflection only of His power. This is a warning; "Be still and KNOW that I am God."
We KNOW when we follow. We KNOW when we obey. We KNOW when we are willing to grow slack between ourselves and the weapons we've held tight to experience our own victories without God present.
I invite you to stand in awe with me. He is God. He is victorious over everything. And He is inviting us to go deeper with Him today. Let's call it what it is; it's demo day.
With Love,
Em
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