“Slow down, you move to fast, got to make the morning last…” the words of the 59th Street Bridge Song by Simon and Garfunkel. Words that echo what we need to say to ourselves in our fast and busy world. We have talked about slowing down, to stop pushing and be still.
With all the noise in our world, it is hard to find stillness, but the Lord has a reason why he wants us to be still, He says clearly in Psalm 46:10:
“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’”
In stillness, God shows us that He is Lord. However when we are still, God has also got our attention. Being still is all about paying attention:
- To God and WHO He is
- To Who I am in relationship with God
- To the people around me, whom God has placed me amongst
- To the circumstances around me and what is happening around me
God wants me to be attentive, so that He can work on my heart (Psalm 51:10) and mind (Eph 4:23 and Romans 12:2). He wants me to pay attention and ask questions:
- What is this season of my life about? What is my responsibility during this season?
- What is God doing? Or doing around me?
- What does God need me to understand? Or change in my thinking?
- What do I need to watch out for? Or be? Or do?
Or does He just want my attention, so that I can enjoy my relationship of intimacy with Him? Is this time of stillness, a time to re-connect the deepest of my soul, to the deepest in Him (Psalm 42:7, 1 Cor 2:10.) When we rush, are busy and push, avoiding being still before Him, we miss out on what God wants to show us.
We will miss the richness of a relationship with Him.
When we pay attention, we discover anew our purpose and identity. Even Jesus took time to be still, to pay attention to what the Spirit was telling Him, to notice what the Spirit was saying. These times of stillness gave Him “eyes to see and hears to ear” what God was doing and saying.
Jesus was frustrated with the disciples who did not take the time to be still, to reflect or pay attention to what they saw and what was happening around them. He said to them:
“Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?” Mark 8:17-18
We need times of stillness in order to give us an opportunity to pay attention. Add those words PAY ATTENTION to our poster. We would accomplish so much more in life that is worthwhile, if we were less about doing and more about being quiet and paying attention.
Father thank you that You call me to be still so that you can reveal things to me through Your Spirit. Please help me to be still and pay attention. Examine my heart and mind and show me what is not pleasing. Open my eyes and ears that I may pay attention to what the Spirit will reveal to me, not just in the Word, but in my life and circumstances around me. Draw me closer to You in these times of stillness, that I may pay attention to You and give praise and honor to You, my Father, my God.
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