Be Still Today!

This week is Winter Break for our students here at Skipstone Academy, so it's little weird not to hear the normal laughs and squeals, the band warming up, and the cars zipping by my window in a hurry to get the kids here on time. It's a rare day for this place to sit "still".

Occasionally on Wednesday nights at our church, our youth Pastor will say something like this during our prayer time..."for some of us Lord, this is the first time today that we have been still so that you can speak to us". Whether that was true of me on that particular day or not, that statement always grabs me.

We are so busy "being busy" sometimes that standing "still" may be the hardest thing we have to do. Stillness for some of us is difficult. I'm just wired weird, but I can't be still. I'm not still when I'm at work. I'm not still when I'm at home. I'm not even still when I sleep, I'm constantly moving around, tossing and turning, etc.

When you think about it, it's the epitome of arrogance on our behalf.... to know that the God of the universe, who spoke this world into existence, lovingly formed us in our mother's womb, sent His son to die on a cruel cross to provide salvation for us, and gives us daily bread to supply our every need and even our desires, is sitting at the right hand of the Father each day waiting to speak to us,and we're too busy for Him. We're too busy for Him? Is it me or does that even sound absurd to say? It is absurd, yet many of us live that scenario out every day.

What would we have to give up in order to be still today? Should we put down the newspaper, turn off the television, or skip that favorite talk radio show? I wonder if we would do it if we saw things from God's perspective?

Maybe He wanted to give us a word of direction today, before we made that decision that we will regret next week. I wonder if He wanted to speak a word of peace to our hearts, before we got that news we weren't expecting. Perhaps He wanted to give us a word of exhortation for a fellow believer, so that we could be a blessing to them, but because we were too busy, we both missed the blessing.

I don't know what the most important thing you have to do today is, but I think I'm realizing what it is for me.... I've GOT to be still and hear God's voice!

John 10:26-28 (The Message)
Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe because you're not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind."

Whatever It Takes,
Chip