The Joy of Quiet

Sorry I missed Youth Group last night!  I didn't intend to.  I came home with a migraine-ish headache and immediately went to sleep.  Frank came home and gently tried to rouse me...but I guess I wasn't rousable (word?) so he mercifully left me sleeping.  I heard good things about Youth Group, however!

 

I love quiet!

 

Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. (Psalms 46:8-11)

 

Nestled in these scriptures is my favorite verse: Psalm 46:10 - "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  Translated, the first part of this verse emphasizes this: Stop what you are doing...be still...quit flapping around like a bird with clipped wings (he.he.he..)...AND experience and understand that God is God.  God is Who He says He is.  Look at the whole set of verses.  The Psalmist invites us to witness the works of the LORD.  Great and Mighty is our God!

 

One of my favorite songs is by Stephen Curtis Chapman, "Be Still."  Here are the words for you to reflect upon:

 

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still, O restless soul of mine
Bow before the Prince of peace
Let the noise and clamor cease
Be still

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that he has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still

Be Still, and know that He is God
Be Still, and know that He is God
Be Still, and know that He is God

Be Still; Be speechless

Be still and know that he is God
Be still and know he is our Father
Come rest your head upon his breast
Listen to the rhythm of his unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still, Be still
 

If you've never sat and listened to this song a few times, I highly recommend you do so today.  Go to ITunes and download it.

 

Like the author in the PW Devotion today, some of you have a problem with being quiet...still...silent...noiseless.  And, if you've never spent a whole hour in prayer, silent, before the Creator of the universe...with the God who loves you, it can been quite challenging.  You still should try!

 

Unplug from your technological life...go find a quiet place (not your bedroom) and be still before the Lord.  Let me know what happens.  Okay, you might fall asleep...or you might get distracted by a bird flying by (what is it with these bird references these past two days!?)...or your mom or dad or sibling or whomever, may interrupt you wanting to know what you are doing!?  That's okay.  Keep trying. 

 

Go be still with the Lord!

 

PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals

Peace Week 2!: Who Wants Quiet? Posted: 09 May 2009 02:12 PM PDT "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2) These two verses are bursting with big ideas worth talking about, but I want to focus on just one of them. Why does Paul want us to pray for those in authority over us? So we can live peaceful and quiet lives . . . in all godliness and holiness. This verse bothered me for a long time. I didn't want to live a peaceful and quiet life. I wanted to live a life of noisy excitement, great adventure, and action-packed thrill rides. What I learned, though, is that you don't grow very deep in godliness and holiness on the action-packed days. You might grow faith in the storm when all you can do it trust God to get you through -- but you're more likely to grow holiness in the stillness. It takes some peace and quiet to know more fully the God we serve. I don't know any longtime Christians who don't have enough action in their lives. But the ones who have embraced the quiet moments with the Father seem a lot stronger when life gets noisy again. Think: Which appeals to you more today, action or quiet? How can you make the most of peace and quiet, in terms of getting to know God better? Do you have a plan for the peaceful days -- or do you try to fill them with more noise? Pray: Pray for the people in authority in your life to do their jobs well in order to provide you with some peace and quiet in which to practice godliness and holiness. Do: Find a whole hour sometime this week in which you do nothing but sit -- awake! -- without any music, TV, Internet, cell phone, or anything else. Use the hour to talk to God about anything and everything -- and otherwise to just sit. Visit PlanetWisdom.com for more great resources!