“Be still…”

We too often cite Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God” as an anthem of rest. As we previously mentioned it is important to know that God commands us to rest and meditate on His greatness. However, a closer look at the beginning of the Psalm lends the verse to a much different interpretation. Psalm 46 begins… “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Emphasis mine. We see here that the Psalm was written in time of war and suffering. Oftentimes, as we reach the end of January and last year’s problems start rearing their ugly head. As our new year’s resolutions begin to fade to the background and we are thrust back in to an overwhelmingly busy schedule, we often forget the Almighty God who abundantly gives us strength. The Psalm was written not for the strong and mighty warriors who were winning battles. The Psalm was written for those fatigued and weary. The metaphor breaks down when trying to compare a 9-5 workload with battlegrounds. However, I cannot help but feel the holy word of God was written with you and me in mind regardless of the year we are living in.