Welcome,
And thank you for joining me for this quiet time with God.
Today,
We're gonna be spending time in Psalm 46,
The Psalm where we find the familiar words,
Be still and know that I am God.
As we read,
There is nothing you need to accomplish or figure out.
This is simply an invitation to slow down,
Quiet your heart,
And rest in God's presence.
Find a comfortable seated position.
And if it's available for you,
You may gently close your eyes or simply soften your gaze.
Maybe you can feel your sit bones become heavy beneath you.
Allow your spine to gently lengthen,
Creating space through your chest as you breathe naturally.
And as you inhale,
Maybe you feel the breath move through your nostrils.
You exhale,
Gently let it go.
Allow yourself to arrive fully in this moment.
Let's begin with God's Word.
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Though the earth should change,
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea,
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride,
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
Notice what stands out to you.
Is there a word?
A phrase or an image that captures your attention.
You can sit with it here.
God,
In the midst of her,
She will not be moved.
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations made an uproar and the kingdoms tottered.
He raised his voice,
The earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
As you breathe,
Remember that God's presence is not dependent on your circumstances.
Even in uncertainty,
He remains near to us.
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.
I am reading from the NASB today,
And I love how in verse 10,
It says,
Cease striving and know that I am God.
Cease striving.
You could also say,
Let go,
Relax,
And know that I am God.
How wonderful to know.
That God is asking us to let go,
Relax,
To cease striving,
And be still.
To remember that He is the Lord of hosts,
The God of Jacob,
The great I am.
He will be exalted among the nations.
We don't need to strive.
We can let God work.
In us and through us.
I want to encourage you in these moments of silence coming up.
To think of which one you connect with today.
Is it the cease striving?
The be still?
The let go and relax?
And know that I am God.
Which one of those three options?
Fits your heart today.
And in these moments,
I want to invite you into contemplation with Lord.
And talk to God and see where you can see striving,
Where you might be able to let go and relax,
Or maybe where you can be still and remember that God is working.
Father,
Thank you for reminding us today that you are our refuge and strength.
When life feels loud,
When our minds are overwhelmed and busy,
When the fear begins to take over,
Help us return to these words.
Help us to be still,
To cease striving,
To let go and relax.
You go before us.
You hold us steady and you are always worthy of our trust.
As we continue with the rest of our day,
Remind us to pause and to breathe and to remember that you are God.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Thank you for spending time with me today.
I pray that you carry God's peace with you wherever this day leads you.
