STILLNESS

“Be still, and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10

Trevor Hudson, in his Lenten devotional book Pauses for Lent says, “We often place magnets proclaiming this verse in Psalms on our fridges. But there is a huge difference between sticking this verse on the fridge and living it out. Finding stillness and silence in a world conditioned to noise, busyness, and words is not easy. Little wonder we often lack personal and intimate knowledge of the Eternal One. The psalmist emphasizes that we need to be still to know God. Perhaps this is why our souls yearn for stillness. In their restlessness they long for that silent communion with God for which they are created. Aware of this, Desmond Tutu writes, ‘Each one of us wants and needs to give ourselves space for quiet.’ It is in stillness we come to know what our hearts long for: the Divine Presence alive in us. In this way, we can see the importance of fostering a life of outer and inner stillness” (Hudson, Pauses for Lent, p.17).

Spiritual Practice: Create “stillness” today for thirty minutes. Perhaps a quiet corner in your favorite big chair, a bench in the park, a walk to the park or on a trail. Be still and wait and listen. What does God have for you to experience in the stillness?

-- Reverend Dr. Pam Rowley