Psalm 46:10 – “Be STILL, and know that I am God.”

When I think stillness I think motionless. I think of quiet inactivity. I think photograph, not video. I think of a teacher saying, “Freeze!” while her class collectively stops whatever they were doing, in whatever position they were doing it in.

Stillness.

I think of a lake in the evening when the wind has died down and the waters lay quiet. I think of my house when all the kids are in bed.

Stillness.

But when the Psalmist, and God himself says, “Be still and know that I am God,” there is more to it than moving from activity to inactivity or from noise to silence.

When God says “be still” he is not calling the hearers to inactivity but rather he is calling them to move from their present activity to a better activity. And he starts by saying, “Enough!”

In one sense it is like your Google Maps app telling you to reroute when you have gone in the wrong direction, repeating, “Make a U-turn, make a U-turn.”  Enough of going THAT way and start going THIS way.

Quit driving for a moment and BE STILL!  Now … reroute.

Because of what’s happening around them the readers of the Psalm are tempted to be afraid (Psalm 46:2). In fear they might be tempted to fight battles on their own or trust in military strength. They might be tempted to fight battles they shouldn’t be fighting. They might be tempted to trust in a human leader instead of God as King, an earthly value rather than a kingdom one, worship an idol they can see instead of a God they can’t. All of this is based on fear. Fear that God might be too distant and not near enough to be trusted in or counted upon.

God says you might know fear but ENOUGH of that, it’s time you know ME!

One translation says “Desist! Realize that I am God!” Cease and desist from your striving for an alternative option and start realizing that God is God! He is the one who makes wars stop with the sound of His voice. He is the one who speaks and calms the storm.

Our stillness is not demonstrated by frozen inactivity. Our stillness is evident by saying enough to ceaseless striving and saying yes to trusting in Him.

So what do you need to stop trusting? What is getting in the way of you knowing God as God? Whatever it is, be reminded that God is saying “enough!” He is calling you to be still. Be still and know.

As worship leaders we call people to sing but we also call people to stop. We are the ones who call out “Enough!” We are the voice that says “Reroute!”  We are the people God can use to give the cease and desist order, and then introduce them to the One who is actually worth pursuing.

So I offer you a personal challenge. Rather than the striving that is motivated by fear, choose the stillness that leads to trust.