I've always loved the Psalms. There's something beautiful, inspiring,
and restful about them. To be sure some of them speak of war and trouble
but usually a note of praise is found and the singer ends with
thanksgiving for God's great mercy and provision. This is true also of
the 46th Psalm. I want to read just a portion of two verses. Psalm 46,
verses 9 and 10. "He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he
breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot
in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God."
The last words I read is my thought for today. "Be still and know
that I am God." To be silent is quite a difficult task for most of us
these days. There are so many voices in the world and all of them cry out
for recognition. Sometimes the one who shouts the loudest may get the
greatest hearing, and of course the human desire is to be heard.
We all feel we must present our case so we add to the general confusion
of the day by adding one more voice to the babel already being heard.
A number of years ago while I was pastoring in the deep South there was
attending the services a young man of doubtful mentality. In fact, he
was considered by most to be practically an idiot. After an exhortation
by the pastor in which he encouraged the congregation to enter into a
period of witnessing for the Lord this young man felt constrained at last
to speak. He rose deliberately and after a few moments of silence spoke
just three words. This was his testimony. Here's what he said. "Silence
is golden." After this contribution to the testimony service he sat down.
I couldn't help but say to myself, "This fellow isn't so dumb as we may
think." Others may have poured out words just to use up time and exhaust
the listeners, but this young man had nothing to say so he gave his
reason and he sat down. I believe the Scripture mentions the fact that
even a fool if he holds his peace is considered to be a wise man.
May God help us to be silent if we have nothing edifying to say rather
than to give the sacrifice of fools.
"Be still and know that I am God." You know there is more in this
Scripture than just an admonition to refrain from much speaking. Our
spirits should be quiet before the Lord. Many speak much because of a
restless spirit. We have never been able to get quiet before the Lord.
When we go to prayer we must talk and talk. On and on we go pouring out
words, words, words. Oh, if we could become quiet before the Lord, and
while sitting at His feet in stillness be able to hear His voice. I am
sure that God the Lord has things to say to His people, but we cannot be
still long enough to hear His voice. It seems that in these days of
increased responsibility we cannot remain still for any period of time
but we must be saying or doing or going. No wonder so many end up with
nervous disorders, ulcers of the stomach, and all kinds of ailments in
this physical body. To be still and to wait upon God is health for the
body as well as the soul.
You will note that this Scripture instructs us to "be still and
know." Much knowledge is not acquired by becoming noisily and actively
engaged in seeking after it. Knowledge comes to us when we wait, when we
meditate, when we cease our strife of words. God has said, "Be still and
know that I am God." I am sure that your great desire as well as mine is
to know God better. Increased activity is not the answer to this need.
To find a quiet place and there wait upon God until rest and peace,
wisdom and understanding comes to us seems to be the need of most men
today. I believe we can find God anywhere. I believe too we can pray as
we walk, pray as we work. I believe this is Scriptural for we are
exhorted to pray without ceasing. Nothing, however, can take the place
of our entering into that quiet closet and there in the stillness, with
the world shut out, find God. The great depths of spiritual experience,
the great riches of spiritual treasure, are found in that place of
stillness in the hour when our spirits become quiet before our Maker.
Oh, when I think of the great need of men today, when I realize the
emptiness of so many hearts, it seems to me that this Scripture takes on
new significance this morning. "Be still and know that I am God." Oh, I
do want to know God better today. I know that you want to know God better.
There is a cry within every one of our hearts to enter into that place
where we might come to know God, whom to know is life eternal. Oh, that
we could enter into His presence and there hear Him speak and there feel
the touch of His divine hand, and experience the comfort that our soul so
greatly needs, but we will certainly not find Him in the confusing voices
of the day in which we live. We will have to find a quiet place. Oh,
I believe that the greatest need of every Christian life is to have a
time set aside in the midst of our day's activities. Sometimes the best
time of all is early in the morning before we meet the world, before we
meet the people in the world. If we can just find time and place to wait
upon God, we will certainly find strength for the day. We will certainly
take on the life that is necessary for us to meet the responsibilities of
the days ahead. Be still and know that God is the Lord. Oh, to be still
before Him till in the secret of His presence we find that strength that
is so vitally necessary for our day's living. May the Lord help us to be
wise. You know we study to make ourselves adept at most everything in
this day. We are very careful about the way we conduct our business. We
are so careful about the way we conduct our affairs, the people we meet,
and the things we say many times. Sometimes we are careless and
haphazard about this business of seeking after God, but I believe this
Scripture gives us a great secret that in this we may find a great
treasure for our soul's need. To be still and know that He is God is
something that we must learn.
Oh, I'm sure that many of you are restless, you are tired, you are
weary, and you are troubled. If you will enter into that secret place
of prayer and there with the world shut out, you will wait upon Him, not
just storming the gates of heaven, not just uttering words, not just
pouring out great multitudes of expressions-this is all right in its
place, I am sure-but after we have done all this, let us wait upon God.
Let us not be hurried in leaving that quiet place. Let us wait upon God
until the breath of heaven comes to us and until the sweet fragrance of
the eternal is wafted into our very souls, and then we can face the day.
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