Be Still
“Be still and know that I am God.” Ps. 46:10
Being still is one of the greatest disciplines in Christendom. In our age we have been greatly weakened by its lack of exercise. We have allowed today’s opportunities to become curses, resembling a greedy boy stuffing more strawberries into his mouth than what can be put in the pale. He soon forgets what strawberries taste like, not satisfied and sickened by the sight of them. It is hard to be stilled in an age that promotes the next desire as the goal, when the one being held is never fully experienced.
The Christian that refuses to be stilled turns into a pasty weakling that wishes not to be disrupted along the Samaritan Road. It is in being open to souls in time that we are satisfied and learn our purpose for movement: relationship. The callused, sun baked and dirt stained hands of the Carpenter knows one must be stilled to be any help to the traveler and have any hope for connection. For a relationship with man, God will still man, to save him and continues to save him by getting in the way.
One of the greatest miracles needed in our cynical age are hearts allowing passage and inconvenience. The alternative is collaboration with Hell, the greatest promoter of safety and ease. Hell has learned that if a soul has learned to be moved, they are that much closer to learning to move those mountains. Hell is the most perversely ordered and secure place that is, for there the heart has chosen one unbending direction: back into self, ridding any remains of a divine recklessness love.
“Be still and know that I am God.” The Almighty wishes to still us so we distinguish more clearly between shadow and substance, knowing firm ground is needed for the unpleasant and dirty work on the soul. He is after all the Carpenter that molds us now for what is to come, to be used and useful.
When a Christian is crucified with his Master he has been limited, stilled, bloodied, strip naked and broken under the sun. Following his Master, he has learned in this unique relationship to believe in and live in this moment which becomes the real gate into the next, even beyond the grave. A soul that has been so stilled in the shadows has linked with the Divine who has power to put mountains into the sea and more importantly Hell.
“Be still and know that I am God.” Ps. 46:10
Being still is one of the greatest disciplines in Christendom. In our age we have been greatly weakened by its lack of exercise. We have allowed today’s opportunities to become curses, resembling a greedy boy stuffing more strawberries into his mouth than what can be put in the pale. He soon forgets what strawberries taste like, not satisfied and sickened by the sight of them. It is hard to be stilled in an age that promotes the next desire as the goal, when the one being held is never fully experienced.
The Christian that refuses to be stilled turns into a pasty weakling that wishes not to be disrupted along the Samaritan Road. It is in being open to souls in time that we are satisfied and learn our purpose for movement: relationship. The callused, sun baked and dirt stained hands of the Carpenter knows one must be stilled to be any help to the traveler and have any hope for connection. For a relationship with man, God will still man, to save him and continues to save him by getting in the way.
One of the greatest miracles needed in our cynical age are hearts allowing passage and inconvenience. The alternative is collaboration with Hell, the greatest promoter of safety and ease. Hell has learned that if a soul has learned to be moved, they are that much closer to learning to move those mountains. Hell is the most perversely ordered and secure place that is, for there the heart has chosen one unbending direction: back into self, ridding any remains of a divine recklessness love.
“Be still and know that I am God.” The Almighty wishes to still us so we distinguish more clearly between shadow and substance, knowing firm ground is needed for the unpleasant and dirty work on the soul. He is after all the Carpenter that molds us now for what is to come, to be used and useful.
When a Christian is crucified with his Master he has been limited, stilled, bloodied, strip naked and broken under the sun. Following his Master, he has learned in this unique relationship to believe in and live in this moment which becomes the real gate into the next, even beyond the grave. A soul that has been so stilled in the shadows has linked with the Divine who has power to put mountains into the sea and more importantly Hell.
posted by Kenneth W. Michael | 10:22 AM
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