Be Still and Know ...

    Today's subject matter is something which I have been thinking about / mulling over for a whole lot of years. The irony is, that the more years pass, the more the subject comes to mind. Why?  I'll get to that.
    The Bible instructs us to 'Be Still and KNOW that I am God". Yes, it is referring to how we humans have such great tendencies to get ourselves all worked up (often known as worried) over situations. We are suppose to be calm and rest in the assurance that God (not us) IS in control.
     But it is also referring to how we don't take time to communicate with God. Or more correctly, we don't bother to listen to his side of the conversation. We're real good at 'letting our requests and supplications be known' (otherwise known as praying), but we often stink at listening to his side, of seeking out His voice.
    Like I said, this is something which I have been very aware of for years. It's just that as time passes, the evidence of it is becoming more and more apparent.

     I have always liked this old hymn:
     "In The Garden"   by C. Austin Miles
     (First verse -) o/~ "I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses; And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses."
     (Chorus - ) o/~ "And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there ...."  o/~

    God wants to have a relationship with us. A day by day, inter-active relationship!
    Us humans are wired such, that we really function much better, if on a regular basis, we get some 'down time'. People use to sit on their porch and relax come evening time. They sat, they relaxed, they chatted with others around them, and they took deep breathes and listened to the quiet as night settled in with it's own sounds. And often in the process of watching the stars come out, their thoughts turned to God. And in their minds and hearts, they communicated with him.
    You hear older folks talk about how they were all wired up, so they took a walk to clear their mind. In other words, while they were walking, they thought everything through again, and most often, they would start communicating with God during the process. It would be just them and God, walking and talking.

     I live near a long park where lots of people go to walk. The majority go either to walk their dogs, or for the exercise of walking (or they combine both). But seldom does it appear as though they are going to just think things over. Or, to be be still and communicate with God. How can I tell? Because of the ear phones stuck in their ears. In our high tech society, we seem to have the idea that we must always be plugged into something. Whether we be driving our vehicles, or doing our dishes, or taking a walk in the park, somehow or another, we are tuned in or plugged in to something.
    I bet that those who are walking for their health's blood pressure issues, would see a vast improvement in their blood pressure meter readings, if they unplugged while walking. Likewise, I bet couples who power walk together, would see mass improvement in their relationships, if they unplugged and slowed their pace down just a tish.
    And for what it's worth - listening to a sermon on your iPod, is NOT the same as 'walking and talking with God'!!! While it probably is better than some of the other things you could be listening to, you'd still be much better off (all the way around) if you weren't 'plugged in' at all.

(I found this pic. on line, forgot to copy the address, now can't re-find it... 8-/)

   Last Friday, my friend Sue Sch. posted something on her Face-book page, which so fits in with all of this. Sue had written, "This was from my devotions this morning." "Sit quietly in my presence while I bless you. Make your mind like a still pool of water, ready to receive whatever thoughts I drop into it. Rest in my sufficiency, as you consider the challenges this day presents. Do not wear yourself out by worrying whether you can cope with the pressures. Keep looking to Me, as we walk through this day together."

    On August 2nd, on the blog 'A Holy Experience', Ann had written this near the beginning of the posting titled 'When Your Waiting for a Message from God', "A friend sends me words, says she’s been sitting outside just listening to things… bees droning over flowers…. the wind in the trees… birds up high. She’s setting her brain in a quiet place away from the link and click and whirl of the world wide web that catches everything trying to soar, and she’s just letting her “brain rewire itself to something slower, more contemplative.”  She wonders if a contemplative life suffers if we have a cyberspace life? She writes the words and I read them again and again, trying to read His answer. Is it possible for the inner ear to hear when the outer ear’s pressed up to the internet? I don’t know…  "

     Most of us don't let our kids bring iPods, to the dinner table. And we tell them to either leave their cell phones elsewhere, or to turn them off. "No phone calls or texting while at the table, and no-o, you can't leave the table to go talk to so and so".  Our reasoning? We want them to join in the conversation. We don't want them distracted by all of that other stuff.
    We get frustrated with our spouse when we're trying to talk to them and they are (or at least seem to be) paying more attention to the TV. We like their undivided attention.
    So why then don't we extend the same courtesy to God?

    "One on one with God", involves more than just taking ten minutes every morning to read a bit of scripture and offer up our prayers. That's Good. That IS important. But...

     Building a relationship with God takes time. Yes, "time" is a 'precious commodity'. But there is nothing more precious than a close relationship with God. Nope, not even holding a new born grand child. Close. ( o;-p ) But NOT as precious.

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I 'plan' on linking this particular posting up to:
~ "Not "Baaad" Sundays", are hosted by Danni and Derek (aka: "Sexy Nerd"), at 'Lamb Around' (http://lambaround.blogspot.com/).
~ "Soli Deo Gloria" (Latin = "For the Glory of God Alone"), is hosted by Jen, at 'Finding Heaven One Step At A Time' (http://findingheaventoday.blogspot.com/).
  ~ "Making Your Home Sing Monday('s)", are hosted by Nan, at 'Mom's the Word (I love to hear)'
  ~ "Homemaker Mondays ... Yours, Mine & Ours", are hosted by Jen, at '11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven'  (http://rtheyallyours.blogspot.com/).
~ "Making A Home", hosted by Linda, at 'Linda's Lunacy' (http://lindaslunacy.blogspot.com/).
~ "Unwasted Homemaking Party('s)", are hosted by Marcie, at 'Don't Waste Your Homemaking' (http://www.dontwasteyourhomemaking.com/).
   ~ "walk with Him Wednesdays", are hosted by Ann, at 'A Holy Experience' (http://www.aholyexperience.com/).
~  "Coffee Talk Friday('s)", hosted by Vic, at 'For The Love Of Blogs' (http://forblogs.blogspot.com).
  ~ "Inspiration Friday('s)", are hosted by Vanessa and Heather, 'At The Picket Fence' (http://www.atthepicketfence.com/).