We have had lots of struggles and challenges in our lives, but we've had even more blessings!

Monday, August 8, 2011

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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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/).

7 comments:

  1. yes so right be still and know love your post and it brought many thoughts to mind

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  2. I hear you here! Lately, I have felt that God is asking me to be comfortable with the stillness and silence to not always be listening to something from the world, but to be plugged in only to Him and the expectation of His voice.

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  3. Have you ever considered that maybe people with head phones on are listening to books on tape or even a religous radio station? How people communicate with their God is their buisness. Not yours. This is my first time reading your blong and it seems that you spend quite a lot of time posting blogs. Maybe someone could say the same about you. Have you ever thought that maybe you yourself could be such a happier person and more productive if you stopped worrying about other people and worry about yourself? In closing, excercise is an important part of being healthy and living a long life. Im assuming you do not exercise. Maybe that could help you too.

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  4. Hi Mary,
    You are right about "how people communicate with their God is their business". I was merely sharing my own in-put for them to consider. In-put which was based both on observation and experience. While the way in which they communicate with God is their business, I have benefited greatly from what I posted about and thus wanted to share it, in the hopes that others too might get the same results if they tried it. It's quite similar to how when somebody sees a new to them movie they really enjoy and felt impacted by, they tell others about it, hoping the others will both watch it and be impacted too.

    And yes, I had and have considered that "maybe people with head phones on are listening to books on tape or even a religious radio station." I touched on that in the paragraph which is located directly above the picture. I realize that that paragraph did come across quiet strong with my view. But it was not intended to offend anybody. I am sorry that I have offended you.

    I am also sorry that you did not enjoy your first visit to our blog. Yes, I post a lot of postings. It is my way of getting lots of the thoughts which are constantly running around in my mind, down on "paper" (so to speak). Doing so seems to help settle them down. Thus for me, posting/ blogging is a good form of therapeutic relief. ;->

    You asked, "Have you ever thought that maybe you yourself could be such a happier person and more productive if you stopped worrying about other people and worry about yourself?" I care greatly about other people. I always have. It is a big part of who I am as a person. And while I can honestly say 'yes, sometimes I would be much happier if I only stayed focused on myself', in the long run, I would end up being much more miserable, because I would be constantly fighting who I really am. I have accepted the fact that God made me this way for some reason / purpose. In the Bible, He repeatedly instructs us to be encourager's to one another. This posting was meant to be an encouragement to others, in finding ways to communicate on even deeper levels with God. It saddens me that you, one of this postings readers, did not see it that way. Thus, you did not feel the encouragement I was hoping to present. I'm sorry you weren't / didn't.

    You had also written, "exercise is an important part of being healthy and living a long life. I'm assuming you do not exercise. Maybe that could help you too." Your assumption is correct. How-ever, I would like to clarify to you why I do not exercise. It is because I have not yet been given the release / approval to do so from my specialist. See, for the last year and a half, I have been dealing with a mixture of physical conditions, which have put all forms of exercise out of the question, due to their adverse affects on my situation. I am ever so thankful that I have been progressing towards the point where they will (hopefully sooner not later) be giving me the o-kay to start exercising again. So-o looking forward to being able to do so! In the mean time however, I have learned a great deal about how the root of happiness is a frame of mind (an attitude / out look).

    Mary, I sincerely hope that you make a return visit to this blog and find my reply to you. See, I had to post it on here, seeings how you left me no way to send it straight to you. When I click on your name, it takes me no where. When blogspot emailed your comment to me, there was no email address attached to your name, by which I could send this reply to you. So I hope you revisit and find this, so that you will know I did not mean to offend anybody with this posting, and I am very sorry that I/it offended you!

    Respectfully,
    Cheryl B.

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  5. I agree with your statement that listening to a sermon is NOT the same as walking and talking with God. Don't get me wrong, listening to worship music or a sermon is a wonderful way to spend time with the Lord.

    However, we must give HIM time to commune with US, which is why we need to be quiet sometimes. That is what I hear you as saying. That sometimes, we just need to be in a quiet,reflective, prayerful attitude and hear Him.

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  6. thanks for your post.

    sometimes you need to read a good post.

    i am glad i stumbled along your blog!

    -angie

    brians {and bryn} in bethel

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  7. I started off the beginning of this year wanting to listen and be obedient to that "still small voice" more than my own and more than the clanging voices of the world. I understand what you mean about being plugged and it is hard to hear His voice over music or other people's words. It's a challenge and scary to wait to hear His voice over the quiet.

    Unless you've changed your layout, this is my first visit. Found it via FTLOB Coffee talk link.

    I'm a follower :)

    Vikki

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