The world is going faster and faster and I am finding it more and more difficult to slow down or as the Psalmist challenges us to "be still". I remember going to a monastery in Kentucky several years ago called Gethsemani.
Gethsemani is a collection of monks that included, at one time, Thomas Merton. Merton was the author of many books including The Seven Storey Mountain and Seeds of Contemplation. His primary focus in life was social justice issues throughout the world. Anyway...I digress.
I can see where I spent time at Gethsemani in this picture and as I reflect on that time I am amazed again at the monks focus when I was there. Their stillness was a testimony of what I think the Psalmist was pointing too here in Psalm 46. It isn't a matter of NOT moving around or NOT doing a whole variety of things. It IS a matter of focusing towards what really matters and more specifically being still and "KNOWING THAT GOD IS GOD" and that He will be exalted in the earth. It seems like a simple thing to accept but we often live so differently than that.
There are many things that are going to test all of us along the way in asking 'what would Jesus do?' I have already experienced that testing as I am sure you have. The key ingredient in continuing onward is to truly "be still" in Christ and have this absolute promise as our bedrock principle that HE IS OUR FORTRESS! He will guard us as we are "still" in Him.
Take time to be still and know that God is God today as you rest in His fortress. It is a wonderfully safe place to be. LGLO, Pastor Peter
P.S. Notice anything about the monastery? Looks like a fortress doesn't it? I wonder if that's a coincidence? Their life is not for everyone but it sure looked good when I was there. Except for that give up my wife thing and all. haha
oh yeah, I can totally relate. How do you really be still when you are so busy. Things are moving so fast and days and weeks fly by in a blink. The psalmist says "Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Now if I can focus on being still in the midst of the madness, I'm a step closer to this heart of wisdom and to the One who gives it. When I don't (which is all to often), I come to the end of the week and find that I have wasted days just going with the current that rushes me through each week. I look back and find that what I've done has little eternal significance at all. Today I'm striving to live intentionally with my eyes fixed on Him through the day to day grind. I want to establish a habit of being in Him so that I don't plunder the time that He has given me.
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