Psalms 46-48
Today I want to focus on Psalm 46.
Have you ever really thought about what it means to be at peace? Take some time and just think about what it would look like for everything to be at peace. When I think about it or imagine what it would look like if everything were at peace, I think of stillness. Everything is constantly in motion in our lives so I think that is why I associate peace with stillness.
In a spiritual sense, to think about peace in my heart, I think about my trust in God. Truly, peace in my heart comes from a surrender of control of my heart's worries, fears, and emotions to God. Peace comes from trusting who God is and surrendering control to him.
The psalmist in Psalm 46 paints this picture of peace and not fearing, stemming from being still and the knowledge of God. He says in verses 1 and 2, "God is our refuge and our strength....therefore we will not fear, THOUGH THE EARTH GIVES WAY."
He paints a picture of contrasting scenes of the earth being unsettled and a city who trusts in God, being at peace in the knowledge of His provisions. Look at verses 2-3 and 4-5. You can almost feel the difference in language of peace and provision, that comes from the flowing presence of the living God like a river through a city.
God speaks in verses 10-11 and says, "Be still, and know that I am God." I think God is speaking right now in our world and saying, "Be still, and know that I am God." I want us to realize that stillness and peace is not inactivity. It is actively leaning on the presence of God, knowing who God is and trusting in Him! If you genuinely want peace in your life, in your heart, in your mind; it doesn't come from laziness, or inactivity, it comes from getting in a place of stillness and quiet and meditating on the character of God. Peace also isn't a place of stillness like I imagine in my own mind. Look at the text of this psalm and everything that is going on. There are wars, oceans roaring, and mountains trembling. But is it the "very present help" (verse 1) in the midst of all of this that is our peace.
Don't just do nothing today, but intentionally and actively be still, and know (trust) that God is God.