I don’t like what we’ve allowed our changing world to do to us. We struggle to take our eyes off of our man-made devices to talk with another God-made person sitting in the same room, eating at the same table. We live in a time when we have to fight hard to have focus, attention, and contemplation – even if we don’t have ADD.
So it’s no wonder that the God who created us firmly and lovingly says, “Stop.” Be Still. Not just physically, but we must fight to still the heart, mind, and soul as well. Why? In order to “know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
I think He knows us pretty well. Right? He knows that in order to for us to really see Him and hear Him, stillness is required. The kind of stillness that says, “What do You want to tell me?”, “What do You want to show me?”, or “Help me to know You more in this moment, Jesus.”
God even placed us in this amazing world that He created to bring Himself glory and to constantly reveal Himself to us. So much so that Paul said that man is “without excuse”, because what is “known about God is evident” and “clearly seen” in His amazing creation (Romans 1:19-20).
Yet frankly, I think that even those of us who believe with all our hearts far too easily overlook it. Therefore overlook Him in it. I know I’m guilty.
What are we missing when we don’t stop? When we’re not still enough to take in what He’s revealing in the moment? The story of His faithfulness, His power, and His wisdom? Or maybe it’s His creativity, impeccable attention to detail, and even His sense of humor. Or how about His unfailing love? Obviously, it’s all those things and so much more than we can possibly imagine!
Here’s what the psalmists observed about creation:
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2
“The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory.” Psalm 97:6
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4
“[Give thanks] To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who made the great lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
The sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, The moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 136:5-9
I don’t know about you, but I need to stop more. Dead still. And I need to take in all that He’s trying to tell me about Himself. I hate to think how much I’ve missed out on already, because I just wasn’t paying attention. And I hate to think how my view of God and the depths of my worship have suffered, because I missed a revealing moment.
I think if we begin our day by asking God to open our eyes to all He wants us to see that day, He’d love to oblige. Taking time to stop – while praying, reading His word, or taking in life around us – is one of the good habits that can breathe new life into our worship.
Commit with me to stop more. Let’s ask Him for eyes to gain new insights into who He is, so that we might “know that [He] is God!”
Watch this amazing time-lapse video of the heavens and see what He might reveal to you about Himself!
When have you had a powerful moment with God when you decided to just stop?
*Opening photograph by Laitham Haddad of Two Eyes One Image Photography. **Video by TESOPhotography
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