BE STILL
I began writing this on the flight back from Spain to London in the middle of September after spending three weeks there.
Every year that I was married to my lovely Spanish wife Rosario, we would spend at least two weeks at Lo Pagán a pleasant village on the Costa del Sol, where her family have a summer house.
This year was special since it was exactly 10 years ago that Rosario went to be with the Lord and we wanted to remember her in a special way with her brother and his family.
We chose to do this as near as possible to her birthday which was 31 August and do the things we would do if she was still with us.
I then stayed on for another two weeks after the family had gone.
One of my traditions is to go to the beach every morning at 8am when there's virtually nobody else there. The sea is called Mar Menor and because it's a lagoon, there are no waves.
The beach is fine sand which is cleaned very early every morning and by 8am the sun is out and the sea is warm. It's idyllic.
On my last day I had the whole beach to myself, bathing with the sea up to my neck. The sea was as calm as can be - but I was in turmoil.
My head was filled with many sad and unhappy thoughts about the past - and the future and this went on for a long time. It was not the best way to end a holiday!
But then all of a sudden God spoke to me...
“BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD”
(Psalm 46:10)
That really stopped me in my tracks, and I stayed physically still and all those negative thoughts were wiped away by the fact that God - is my God. All my unhappy feelings, regrets and concerns paled into insignificance in the presence of God.
We all live very busy demanding lives and there are many things we can be worried about. Some of the greatest Psalms came out of the Psalmists’ experience of turmoil, regret and fearfulness.
There are many examples, but here are a few of them:
“How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?” (13:2)
“My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing.” (31:10)
“I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long.” (38:6)
“Why are you cast down oh my soul? Why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him.” (42:5)
It’s human and real to feel like this sometimes…
But STOP
Be STILL
and KNOW that God is bigger than all the things that fill our lives and conscious minds.
I started to go through all the things that GOD IS…
GOD THE FATHER
is my Creator whose tender love I don’t deserve, but I’m his child.
God is LOVE - He cares about every detail of my life - and He is in control.
Why should I worry about ANYTHING?
All of those things that were filling my mind with negative thoughts were smaller than one grain of sand on the seashore in comparison with the GREATNESS of GOD.
GOD THE SON
Jesus is my Saviour and the Lord of my life.
He is the Good Shepherd and as I follow Him: “Goodness and mercy shall follow me ALL the days of my life.”
So why was I worrying about the future?
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
is my Comforter who strengthens me and helps me with every detail of my life.
I’ve experienced that time and time again, so why was I filled with such anxious, negative thoughts?
The things that concern me - concern God - but God is bigger than all those things – He is over ALL – He is in control – Nothing surprises Him – He knows best – He is God - and He is My God.
“BE STILL
AND KNOW
THAT I AM
GOD”
I know what that meant for me - but how does that speak to you?
“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?”
(Psalm 27:1)