Be Still and Know

This time of year is filled with business in enormous proportions.  Many of the retailers are sick if not on their way to crashing.  Parents are frazzled. Children are anxious.

Ironic that this is the time of year that is supposed to be filled with peace. Joy. Love. Laughter.  But the way our society has it, it is very much the opposite.

We scurry to get gifts.  We struggle trying to figure out what to give.  Then we wrap it, ship it, hope they like it, maybe have to make returns.  Why gift giving can bring much joy, it can bring a lot of stress.

I was stressed and worried when it took almost over hour and twenty minutes to package a bowl I made.  While, I'm entirely thankful for the care the shipper took to secure my package, I was stressed as I surrendered my piece to be mailed, had other things to do, had someone waiting on me, etc.  I really just wanted to go home and rest.  Don't we all?

Winter is a natural time to hibernate, per se.  It's a time to get out of the cold and sit by the fire snugged up with a cup of hot goodness to warm the soul.  It's a time of reflection.  A time to pause.

One of my favorite verses is "Be still and know that I am God,"  Ps. 46:10.

It is a verse that speaks peace over any situation I face.  It transfers the control of the situation to the Omnipotent.  It puts layers of peace over my perspective.  

Further, it clarifies my role, what I should do and the stance I should take.  Simply put, I should be still.

Course when there are celebrations about to commence, physically being still is hard to come by.  However, if we incorporate this verse into our lives, the focus of our celebration will be shifted.

Let's break down these words and look more deeply at what the verse is saying.

Be- a present and active tense.  It means to exist.  To be can also be referred to as to abide, act, prevail, remain, rest, stand, stay.  To be is a command by God, commanding His audience to exist. 

Still- present tense.  Can be active or passive.  Still is defined as calm, motionless, quiet.

And- a conjunctive word meant to tie two ideas together.  And is used in ways to describe "there's more to say."   (Notice that the words still and know are tied together, not apart.  Much like peace and joy.)

Know- present tense. To know is to have knowledge or be congizant or aware.   It is to understand.  It is also used, especially in the Hebrew context, as to have such a familiarity, that it presupposes intimacy.  To know is also to experience.

That- used as a qualifying word which modifies the word "know".  It's predicating the object of knowledge.

I- singular first person pronoun that describes God speaking.   Here God is pointing out that He is the One and Only, actively making known His name throughout the earth.  He is telling us to sit back and watch the demonstration.  

Am-  This is the second usage of "to be" in this verse.  Here, the usage of Am is used almost as a reflective parallelism of the un-mentioned word "you" before "Be still." 

It is like God is saying: "You be still while I am..."   This usage of Am is similar to that of Hebrew poetry where they'd weave together two thoughts that would reflect each other, like a mirror and its image.  

God is juxtaposing together His command of being still with His declaration of His ability to make Himself known through His actions.  

It is also suggesting that God is speaking firmly without wavering.  He isn't saying: "I am sort of God".  No, He is proclaming I AM God.  

God- The One who is in control, Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, capable of the impossible, the One who is to be worshiped for His greatness.  


Overall, the present tense of all these words show that these actions are to be done continally, not just one time. 

In addition, God's not just saying be still, He's actually commanding it. The way the verse is structured in the Hebrew, "be still" is an imperative command.  Imperative is defined as something that is necessary.   So, to God, being still is necessary. 

And bonus, to know in this verse is also an imperative command.  Thus, to know is also necessary.  

Since be still and know are tied together as one, they are both necessary. 

So, let's take one more step and apply this verse to life at Christmastime.

Be still and know that I am God says.... 

When I'm stuck in lines, trying to mail stuff out, find gifts, etc., I can worry my brains out, but worry won't do me any good.

That God will take care of everything because everything can't take care of itself.

That we are called to stop and be still.  We are called to watch God be glorified during this time of Christmas, for He will be glorified.  

It isn't about the gifts, the hustle, the bustle, the long lines, although that affects us all.  It is about in whatever situation we face, we should exist in a state of being still and knowing while God exists in a state of showing His glory, making known and revealing.  

And ultimately, that we should stand back and watch God as He takes care of us.  He will work it out.  He will make what is supposed to happen, happen.  He will not let something happen if it isn't meant to be.  

So be still and know that He is God.  Be at rest. Be assured. There is no other, there is only One and if it is His will, He will bring it to pass.  

Now go grab that hot cup of goodness and be still by the fire.  Reflect and be restored as God makes Himself known. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!!!

*dictonary. com

Special thanks to my husband for his help on this article!!!

© Candice Irion.  All Rights Reserved.