As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. -- Isaiah 55:10-11

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Still Understanding

At the end of each year, I ask the Lord for a "word for the next year". What does He have to say that I can be in agreement with in mind, body, and spirit? Sort of an overriding direction, if you will. This year's word was so simple it has been a bit hard to wrap my mind around.

He said simply, "Be still and know that I am God."

This is a foreign concept to me.

I grew up on a farm. I was an athlete. I am a mother of two, homeschooler, church volunteer, "Type A", has to be doing something with my hands while I watch TV kind of person. Be still? Frankly, I didn't even have a working knowledge of what that means. So, I do what I always do. I looked it up.

My Hebrew Keyword Bible didn't help much. It simply said "still". Huh.

So I pulled out my dictionary. "Still" has a number of meanings, but simply put it means without motion, noise, or distraction. In other words:


"Quit focusing on what you can or can't do or what is happening around you. Understand I AM God, and it is all about what I can and will do."


I don't know about your year, what kind of year your coming out of or the things you face right now. I don't know the mental, emotional, or spiritual details. I do know most everyone I know, including myself, has something they would like to see changed, something that hurts them, overwhelms them--things much bigger than they are. And we've all done all we know to do to change things, to fix things. And what do you do when nothing you do makes a difference? Be still. After all He's God.

Understand?

3 comments:

Debra said...

Oh yes! He is God and His mercies are new every morning and He is completely in control and I will be still and know He is God!

Love you!

sharilyn said...

yes, that speaks volumes... i keep hearing those words - be still. it is only when we settle down from our busy busy activities-driven days that we can hear that still small voice. (i'm preaching to myself here!)... thanks for the reminder, jerri! it's a good word for a new year ahead...

Jan Parrish said...

I also posted a word for the year. Praying for you. Sounds like being still will be a challenge - as it would be for me. Love you, Jan