Be Still and Know that I AM God

"Be Still and Know that I AM God."

Psalm 46:10

The equation I used to believe was:  to be still was to be quiet.  To be quiet was to be in silence. 

The act of silence is very difficult for me.  I enjoy good conversation and lively debates, and  the sounds of music, radio, and television.  I have tried to allow silence to envelop me so that through this stillness or quiet, I could come closer to God.  I guess that I am God's squirmy child when it comes to sitting in the stillness.  I find myself sitting, waiting for the sounds of birds chirping outside the Church where we have gathered to pray, and, in desperate times, the sound of the radiator hissing as it heats up the adoration chapel.

The willful act of silence is a virtue on which I am still working. 

Distractions plague me, too.  However, in my distractions, I think.  If I am wise, I also the Holy Spirit to direct my thoughts when in the state of distraction.

Dearest Holy Spirit, I love You and adore You with all my heart and soul.  I ask for the grace of attention to my task.  If that is not to be, then I ask that You direct my thoughts to that which You wish that I may come to know Your love and affection.  Thank You.  Amen.

"Be still and know that I AM God."

Maybe "be still" does not only mean "be quiet"?  When I was a child, I often heard, "Be still."  That direction to me was not translated as be quiet.  I was not a noisy child.  I was an active, squirmy child.  The command "be still" as it was spoken to me meant, "Stop what you're doing."

My mind wanders further.  In recent months I have been hearing, whether preached from the pulpit or written in books, "Quit trying to control God.  When you ask Him for something in faith,
move over and let God do the work.  You can't change God, but God can change you.  He's the God of miracles.  Move over.  Quit doing what you're doing.  Let God take over.  Be still."

"Be still" takes on an entirely new meaning now.  "Be still.  Let God do the work.  Move over."

Let God be God.  Be still.  God is in control.  Rest easy in Him.  Be still.

I don’t have to be anxious.  I don’t have to worry pray.  I only have to move over and let God in when I pray.

“Be Still and Know that I AM God.”
Psalm 46: 10

Mother of God

John 2: 3-5

Source of Grace

Did you know that graces come from unexpected sources?

Of course,

God is the author of all graces.

What you might not realize is that God pours down His Love on us

in ways we might not expect.

You're sitting in traffic.

You've averaged about 20 mph for the last ten miles.

The car behind you is tailgating.

You are getting upset.

If you were going faster, 

that driver might cause a terrible accident.

You are ready to make an obscene gesture with your hand.

A thought flickers in your mind.

 

 

 

 

 

Pray for that driver.

You pray.

 

The driver doesn't quit tailgating, but when there's an opening, the driver sails past you, using that same obscene gesture you were going to make, but you are safe in your car.

You feel peaceful.

The rest of the drive home is not as stressful.

You get off the interstate and drive home.

 Whether you realize it or not, that driver was a source of grace for you.

You prayed.  You received grace. You did not sin. There was no accident.

 

 Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow!

Thank God.

 

There is someone at church who really cannot sing.

You feel that this person should not sing.

This person's voice is very loud and always off key.

People are uncomfortable around this person because this person truly distracts them from the Mass by singing.

The pastor does not say anything.

When people do say something, they gossip.

 

"Sounded like a chicken coup with a fox in there."

"I'm about ready to loose it!"

"Voice lessons didn't work."

"I heard the spouse say that voice kills rats."

 

People prefer to sit behind and away from  this person, but that voice is loud and distracting.

It cannot even be called a Joyful noise.

 

You pray.

You pray again.

No, there is no laryingitis.

There is only distraction and noise.

You pray again and again and again.

 

One day you realize,

you've been praying more than you've been listening to the voice.

The voice hasn't changed, but you seem more peaceful with the voice.

You've moved to a different part of the church,

and you don't hear the voice as much.

 

"Thank You, Lord," you say.  "Praise to You."

 

Then the person with the voice walks up to you and says,

"I want to thank you for being so kind.  I know my voice is terrible.  I wish it weren't so loud, but

I've tried everything.  Even my voice teacher gave up.  I hear what people say.  I guess I'll just be quiet.  Your kindness has been a wonderful grace for me.

Thank you!"

 

Then you realize what a wonderful grace the voice has been to you.

You are more at peace.

You were kind.

The voice drew you to prayer.

 

Which of you received the greater blessings from the voice?

 

Each of us has many chances to grow in grace daily.

God's graces come from unexpected sources and situations.

 

"There's that cranky checkout person.  I'm not going to her."

(source of grace)

"I will.  Her line is short."

"That's because no one likes her."

(source of grace)

 

You call her by name.

She blinks, but she smiles at you.

You thank her for the great job she did checking you out.

You tell her that you hope you can get into her checkout line on the busiest day.

 

It looks like she blinks a small tear.

 

Source of grace for you.

 

Your prayer was your kindness to her.

 

Will she forget?

 

The next time I went through her line, she reminded me that there was a 40% coupon on my mobile device.  She just needed the number.  She said she didn't mind waiting, after all, there weren't many people in her line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 Words Thursday: It Is Finished

 ^"A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to His mouth.  When Jesus had received the wine, He said, “It is finished.” Then He bowed his head and gave up His spirit."

John 19: 29-30

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow...

Praise God!

Praise God!

Praise God!

Why?

I'm making a list.

Feel free to add to this list.

1) God is always working in my life, even when I don't feel it.

2) God loves me, even when I don't love me.

3) God likes me, even if no one else does.

4) God accepts me as I am.

(He doesn't make junk.)

5) God loves me as I am.

6) God graces me without me asking.

7)  If God is for me, who can be against me?

8) God sends me many blessings, sometimes in the form of tears.

9) God knows what's in my heart.

10) God leads me in His paths.

Praise God!

Praise God!

Praise God!

Why do you think we should praise God?

Empty Hands Prayer

Lord, may I return to You all that You have given me.
When I die, and I see You face to face,
may all I give You is my empty hands
because, that which You so freely gave me,
I used in service to You
for Your greater Honor and Glory.
May I have used Your graces to bring You Your Heart’s desire:
Souls,
Many, many souls.

Lord,
Before I die,
May my knees be sore from worshiping.
May my fingers be bent from praying.
May my arms be empty because I have nothing left to give.

Lord,
Let me serve You and give my all for Love of You.
Just as You died on the Cross,
with nothing left to give,
except for the last drops of blood and water in Your Sacred Body,
Let me give all to You,
for You,
as You have given all
for me
and
to me.

Amen.

mallory hoffman