Only in stillness does the imperceivable become discernible.
- Bryant McGill
Psalms of Delight...
Most of the Bible's Psalms give thanks to God on one or more levels. Commanded to do so, Christians aught to make the time to praise God for His glorious nature, creative genius and many gifts to mankind.
Psalms of Delight are written in concert with Psalms in the Night. Both series contain Modern Psalms meant to comfort and inspire those seeking the Omni-God revealed in Scripture.
Be Still Summary
Approaching the invisible, inaudible God can be a tricky business. Over the millennia, billions have tried and many have failed. For some the effort proved too daunting or frustrating. Others were led astray into excess or apostasy.
Fortunately there have been those who touched and were touched by God. They're examples and direction inspire and point the way for us who would "know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; and be filled with all the fullness of God." As in their case, doing so requires we learn, practice and develop the art of prayerful silence and stillness. Essential skills for those endeavoring to successfully wait on, and at times even wrestle, creation's Creator and Savior.
Be Still
Modern Psalm of Delight 16
Perhaps You've noticed we’ve been looking for You. For myself, long before sunrise and well after sunset I've watched and listened. Missing You, I've meditated on and prayed through a thousand Scriptures hoping we'd meet. Kneeling and prostrate, walking and driving, seeking God on behalf of myself and others has been my life's work. Over a quarter of century I looked high and low. By plane in the air and ship on the sea I've gone hunting for "God who hides Himself." Alone and with masses of others, its been my passion and ambition that we might know You "in the power of Your resurrection."
Of course, my investment of tens of thousand of hours is "chump change" to Omnity. Still, it's not a bad showing down here. Early on I recognized how fearfully and wonderfully made we are and set out to find safety and meaning in our Creator and Savior. I realized it was going to take some serious effort if I wanted to experience You in a way that goes beyond knowledge as the Apostle Paul prayed we would. Thanks for whatever degree You've been watching and guiding my journey. I appreciate the times of inspiration and encouragement along the way. I value all I've learned, even a few inconvenient Biblical truths others may be missing.
Even so, the road’s been hard. Three times I've been betrayed by trusted colleagues closest to me. The initial shock and subsequent repercussions have left my family and I devastated. Over time. the loss of ministries and careers has taken it's toll. It's hard to watch others steel my equity and spoil my life's work then act as though nothings happened. Why do so many who squander Your blessings thrive? Feeling like the faithful older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son, I'm forced to wonder why so many strategic prayers are denied?
It seems many of life’s most important issues are upside down, if not backwards and sideways. As Moses directed I’ve tried to number by days, yet they fly away while You remain woefully silent and distant:
- “Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?— and treat your servants with kindness for a change. Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we’ll skip and dance all the day long. Make up for the bad times with some good times; we’ve seen enough evil to last a lifetime. Let your servants see what you’re best at—the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!” Psalms 90:12-17 MSG
Clearly we have and continue to sin. Filled with Me-ism and worse, we grab the remote and ignore crippling issues with You, not to mention Yours with us. Dualistic and double minded, corporate and personal sanctification are at all time lows, and all this as right before our eyes the stage is being set for unprecedented judgment, if not the long foretold Great Tribulation!
Little wonder we should be silent and still before You:
- “Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.” Ecclesiastes 5:2 NLT
Sadly, understanding such things doesn't help as much as I'd like. In all honesty, pursuing You has been equal parts frustrating and rewarding. Bible study's taught me to both love and fear You. Ten thousand prayers have tuned my ear to Your silent voice. Lengthy hours of spent waiting on God has brought You almost close enough to touch, but still no lightning strike of "power, love and self discipline." Like countless billions I'm forced to sing with Bono, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."
Yet, "hope springs eternal." Like Your mercies, opportunities to break through are "new every morning" then again it was in Jeremiah miserable lamination You reming us “Great is Thy Faithfullness.” Nevertheless, Your prophet’s personal torment’s so dreadful recorded we dare sing only a few verses.
Creator and Savior, help us hope against quantum hope. Let us be committed for the long haul. Clearly there's so much to do, yet we’re unsure what would work against the sin above, about and within. I know everything starts and continues with prayer if we’re to develop Your kingdom within to the point of demonstrating it’s validity and power.
Having researched and developed several methods, I've often been drawn to Scripture's reoccurring theme of stillness:
- “As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us?... But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Exodus 14:10-14
- "Then he was told, 'Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.' A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper. When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, 'So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?' Elijah said it again, 'I've been working my heart out for God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me.’” 1 Kings 19:11-14 MSG
- "God, I'm not trying to rule the roost, I don't want to be king of the mountain. I haven't meddled where I have no business or fantasized grandiose plans. I've kept my feet on the ground, I've cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother's arms, my soul is a baby content. Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope. Hope now; hope always!" Psalm 31 MSG
- "Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how he brings destruction upon the world. He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalms 46:8-10
- "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.'" Isaiah 30:15
- "God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times. When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear." Lamentation 3:25-30 MSG
- "By your patience possess your souls." Luke 21:19
Some claim there’s no point in pondering life’s ultimate questions. So much so billions prefer to “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” A growing majority, consciously or not, consider any serious religious effort as worthless, the opiate of the people, if not literally a placebo. Admittedly both are true without You. Yet thankfully those honestly and diligently seeking to develop spiritual sensitivity soon find genuine faith not only reasonable but crucial when faced with the absolute and scientific certainty of Your existence.
I'm thankful for the overwhelming evidence that You're the God of the Bible. From historic and prophetic accuracy to the fantastic fine tuning and astounding intricacies of intelligent design modern discoveries in the areas of astronomy and physics, biology and human origins, earth science and understanding the universe.
Yet even such accolades point out our great problem. Why should mankind be debating the existence of such an awesome God? Why are billions left guessing Your identity?
Perhaps it's our fault. Forgive those of us who believe for doing so half heartedly confusing the issues with a variety of false or half gospels offering many versions of Christ. Or perhaps the fault lies with our Enemy being too great for us. In Scripture even You give the Devil his due when it comes to tempting believers, to the point of deceiving God's anointed. Clearly in most the developed world modern Christianity's deteriorating into Churchianity at best.
Whatever the reason or reasons, Earth's seven billion need the manifold presence of our faithful Creator and Savior more now than ever. I'm so glad the very name Jesus means Rescuer! Surely the price Christ paid for our atonement, not to mention His intercession as High Priest on our behalf grants us the right to cry out for You to rend the heavens and come down! Lord, remember us. We're Your handiwork. You've engraved us on the palms of Your hands. Extend them into our lives as never before. We're desperate for deliverance. For while we stand before You utterly condemned for our sin, particularly my generation and the next in First World Nations and beyond and are without excuse, even our behavior is not without explanation! For is it not written that he formally known as Lucifer or in Hebrew הילל בן־שׁחר Helel Ben-Shachar, who stands accusing and condemning us, first tempted and deceived us after having led a myriad of angels astray. Ancient, holy and glorious angels from Heaven above. To which end I would ask what chance do we have dear God to stand against so great an Adversary, his army and demonic resistance given that in comparison the entire human race was born yesterday and dies tomorrow balanced if and when at all on toes of flesh. Praying if and when at all as lungs expel air strumming vocal cords to the tune of two to three pounds of brain matter, what’s to become of us without an unprecedented global outpouring of Your Spirit's presence and power, provision and protection?
I love the lyrics and melody of the song "Be Still" from the Fray. May they prove true for us:
Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still and know that I am here
Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still, be still, and know
When darkness comes upon you
And sleep no longer finds your bed
Remember all the words I said
Be still, be still, be still
If fear falls upon your bed and sleep no longer comes
Remember all the words I said
Be still be still and know
And if you go through the valley
And the shadow comes down from the hill
If morning never comes to be
Be still be still be still
And if you forget the way to go
And lose where you came from
Just know I am standing beside you
Be still be still be still
Be still and know that I'm with you
Be still and know I am
With hell to loose and heaven to gain for over 7.5 billion souls we desperately need charity and conviction. Teach us to wait on You for renewal and strength that we might mount up with wings as eagles:
- “Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard?The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:27-31 NKJV
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