BE STILL AND KNOW...Updated and Recycled

Dear Friends, as most of you know, my new "One Word" for 2017 is "REST".  Today I was thinking about a certain song, "Jesus I Am Resting, Resting"...and was reminded that I had included it in a previous post some time ago.  So, after researching through my archives, I discovered this post, written on 4/22/2015, which includes a link to that song.  Apparently my need for "REST" is not new at all.  It appears that this is a recurring theme throughout the history of my blog posts through the years.  So, rather than write a new post for today, I thought you might like to go back in time with me and see how the Lord has been teaching me throughout the years.  When you get to the link for the song "Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting", please be sure to turn on your sound, click on the link and sit back and enjoy that song with the pictures... It is is very calming and "restful" .

Here is the original post:

"Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!"

Psalm 46:10

It is curious how often I come back to this verse in my thinking...in prayer time...in times of devotion and worship.  I don't believe it is ME doing the prompting in this process...it is coming from another source directly connected to me...God.  Yes, God is directly connected to me...by blood...the blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, which was shed for me...and by Spirit...His Holy Spirit...Who came to live within my heart when Jesus left the earth and sent Him to dwell here in His place.

In case you've missed it somewhere along the way, my "business" IS working in God's Kingdom...as a Church Administrator for a large historic church in an active modern community...and also as a semi-retired minister's wife with many years of experience in varied types of ministry.  So I should KNOW about serving God...and I should KNOW God Himself up close and personal.

Sounds like a lot going on there...and yes, there is! All too often I get so caught up in the busyness of this world...and even in the business of working in God's Kingdom in this world...that I forget to listen to the prompting of God's Holy Spirit reminding me to "Be Still...and KNOW that I AM God!"

If you read my previous post "The Food That Satisfies", I talked about how we can get so fraught with running to and fro in search of more spiritual food that we are literally starving for the living "Bread of life",  in the person of Jesus Christ Himself, and missing that deeper personal walk with Him.  So many people in today's Christian society seem to have the "bigger is better" philosophy of worship and church ministry.  We get caught up in the hype of bright lights, loud music, multi-sensory activities that boggle our minds and create an emotional pseudo- spiritual experience that makes us "feel good", but may leave us feeling dissatisfied with those quiet moments of inner reflection.  We tend to forget how important it is to our personal spiritual growth to spend some quality AND quantity time alone with God away from the noise and clutter of corporate "worship".

Jesus invited His disciples to

"Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while,"

(Mark 6:31)

right when they were in the height of their new and exciting ministry...(you can read more about this in the whole sixth chapter of Mark)...

He had sent them out (vs. 7) "two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits...", and they (vs. 13) "cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them."

and it says in verse 31:

"For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat."

They were so caught up in the miracles and the excitement of their new-found ministry that they barely had time to eat or sleep...so Jesus Himself took them on a little "retreat" away from the crowds for a little while...so that they could set apart some time to

(Sign courtesy of Ben's Country Woodshop)

I am not trying to be critical of today's modern style of worship...but what does concern me is that I see so many trying so hard to be super spiritual that they lose sight of the One Who has it all...God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit...Three in One...Blessed Trinity...

We need to purposely set aside time to "Be Still...and KNOW that I AM God"....and to "Come aside and rest awhile..." with Jesus.

Here is a modern version of an old hymn that I love and seems to fit here: 

"Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting"    

Take a few moments...or as long as you can...and rest in Him...Find out the greatness of His loving heart...and be at peace.  Amen.

Here is another post on a similar subject you might appreciate: My Open Window Wasn't Really Open

And Another: Driven Into The Wilderness.