Psalms 46:1-11 (HCSB)
1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
2 Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah
4 [There is] a river— its streams delight the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the • Most High.
5 God is within her; she will not be toppled. God will help her when the morning dawns.
6 Nations rage, kingdoms topple; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.
7 The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah
8 Come, see the works of the Lord, who brings devastation on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease throughout the earth. He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces; He burns up the chariots.
10 “Stop [your fighting]—and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
11 The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold Selah
The earth is trembling; the mountains are falling into the sea; the waters are roaring and foaming; and it sounds like earthquakes are taking place (vs. 3).
So what does the Psalmist say we should do?
“Come, see the works of the Lord, who brings devastation on the earth…Stop your fighting (Be still) and know that I am God.”
Stop. Be still. Stop fighting.
We are a people of action. We do not like to stop or be still. We fight being still.
Your appliances are breaking; you got an outrageous electric bill in the mail; and your spouse just called to tell you that the car has broken down and can’t be driven home.
Sounds like your earth is trembling; your mountain just fell into the sea; the waters are roaring and foaming; and the car situation is your earthquake.
So you have options: worry, scream, lose your temper, kick the dog, kick into action and control mode, or….stop; be still and know that God is God; He is in control.
When God spoke to me through this passage, my question was, “Stop and do what?” (smile)
We have trouble with being obedient because we have trouble stopping.
Stop: cease; don’t move; BE STILL! How many ways can the word be defined?
I like the paraphrase of The Message on these verses:
Psalm 46:8-10 (The Message)
8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
"Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything."
Have you ever known someone who refused to stop? Someone who complained constantly about the business of his/her life? And then one day, they had to stop: heart attack, cancer, accident, death. I’m not saying that God punished them – just that something happened and their world had to be still. It could have just been natural consequences of not stopping – or it could have just been the appointed time for this event for the glory of God. But they stopped…and life went on without them.
So if that still small voice is whispering to you, “Be still and know that I am God,” what are you saying back? I can’t? I will? I know I need to stop?
Whatever your problems are, the Lord of the Universe is big enough to handle them. But you will get in the way of His work, if you don’t obey and get out of the way.
In researching the word stop, I found this passage:
Joshua 10:13
13 So the sun stood still,
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on [a] its enemies,
as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.
Even atheistic scientists admit that the computers show missing time that happens to add up to exactly what the Lord stopped in the Bible. There is at least one other time that He stopped time or moved the sun backwards for a time.
If we serve a God Who can stop the sun and the moon for a full day, what problem do you have that He can’t handle while you stop and let Him be God?
Reread verse 1 and 2a of Psalm 46.
1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
2 Therefore we will not be afraid,
What drives you to keep moving, to refuse to stop and know that He is God? Is it fear, love of money, pride…? Whatever it is, it isn’t worth your relationship with God. Whatever it is, God can take care of it.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
**Lord Jesus, help me to stop. Too long I’ve gone on fast-forward and now I am on overload. Forgive me. I don’t even have to ask how I got here. Forgive me. Help me to stop right now and know that You are God. Amen.
