Be Still

Dear Kajijs,
I hope that your week is going well so far. It was such a wonderful day at the beach last Friday – talk about perfect weather! We discussed many things including Fall schedules and being busy. We talked about what the world’s expectations are of us (you can have it all; your kids can have it all so go, go Gadget!) and how that affects us and our families. I have a copy of The Message by Eugene Peterson which states Ephesians 2:2 as saying, “You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live.” I love how he’s phrased that! In so many ways, we look to the world for instructions on how to live, yet we are told to live by God’s instructions.

What are God’s expectations of us? He commands us to be still and know that He is God.
In the English dictionary:
Still is defined as remaining in place or at rest; motionless. When was the last time you allowed yourself to be motionless (and sleeping doesn’t count)?
Still is also defined as free from sound or noise, as a place or persons; silent. Frankly, that may be hard to imagine as mothers of young children.
It is also defined as free from turbulence or commotion; peaceful, tranquil, calm. Doesn’t that sound heavenly?

Psalm 46:10 says to "Be still," which literally means relax. It means to "let your arms down to your side"—to be vulnerable to God.1 So why would God tell us to be still? In the Hebrew, it is meant that we are to be “weak” so our faith may be exercised in reliance on Him. “We let go to objectively know the saving power of God in our lives. We give up trusting in ourselves and our own designs in order to experience the glory of God’s all-sufficiency.”2 Have you experienced the glory of God’s all-sufficiency lately?

“I have a deep conviction that what my life needs more of, is stillness. However, it is not a conviction based on needing to be better at it. It is a conviction based on my need and how God met me, answering my prayer for more of Him. So, I am asking God to help me find moments of stillness; to prepare for the next season of my life by factoring in my need for stillness; to resist the temptation to avoid and/or dismiss opportunities for stillness. Because it is in the stillness that I know my Savior’s deep love for me. It is in the stillness that I sense what He is calling me to. It is in the stillness that I truly rest in His sovereignty; it is in the stillness that I learn His voice. It is in the stillness that I sense His presence with me, and sensing His presence changes everything.

No wonder stillness is hard to come by. If these are the results of being still with God, the Enemy of our Lord and our souls no doubt has a vested interest in keeping us busy and preoccupied.”3

Weather permitting, we will be meeting at DeMeritt Hill Farm this Friday, and you’re all welcome to go apple-picking with us afterwards if you so desire. If it rains, we’ll be meeting indoors so check your email Friday morning just to make sure. Looking forward to finding peace with you at the farm (children permitting, of course!) God bless!

Love,
Crystal


1Taken from http://www.preachingtodaysermons.com/stowjostrusg.html
2 Taken from http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Meditations/Be_Still/be_still.html
3Taken from http://www.rdf.org/a-place-for-you/womens_ministries/ms_word_docs/devotional_2004_01_26.doc