Thought of the day – Friday 28th May 2020
Psalm 46: 8-11 Day 3
“Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.”
The Psalmist invites us to see the works of the Lord, and then surprises us with the idea that He has made desolations in the earth. Is God the author of such things? Did God bring about this new virus, which has spread so rapidly worldwide and which could be said to be a desolation in the earth? I think the answer is that viruses are part of the Fall; the Evil One may want to destroy mankind, but in God’s hands, this situation works for good. Indeed, there are many positives to come out of our changed circumstances: communities are caring for one another, strangers are chatting with each other, people are being creative, and people are turning to God, as evidenced by the increased numbers tuning into on-line services.
“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.”
These are the kind of works of God we expected to read about when we were invited to come and behold them! And how we long to see these things become a reality! We know that they will be one day. And then comes the most well-known line in this psalm:
“Be still, and know that I am God;”
We’re not very good at being still – yet we need to learn how to be still in order to meet with God. “Be still” means to relax, to stop striving, to stop fighting. It also means “to put your hands down” – we may put our hands up to defend ourselves from all that life can bring our way. Perhaps we just need to let go and find a place alone, where we can be still and quiet.
A few years ago, I discovered silent prayer. We are so used to praying for ourselves and for others in words, and at times that can feel like hard work. Sometimes, it’s a relief to sit quietly and just to focus on God, without the need for words or requests. Just to be, the two of you together. This is not a time for making plans, or seeking guidance, or unburdening yourself – just to be, just sitting quietly for about 20 minutes. When thoughts wander in, don’t worry about them, but just refocus on the Lord. When we are so used to thinking that we must be busy in prayer, it may seem that to sit with the Lord without words, is wasting time, but that’s not the case. In fact, this Psalm hints that being still is necessary to know who God is.
In these uncertain times, we need to practice being still before God, and we will discover more of what it means that He is our refuge and strength. It is a way to deepen our relationship with God. And what better way can there be to use the extra time we have now?
Possibly the best Christian book I’ve ever read is about silent prayer, “Finding your Hidden Treasure” by Benignus O’Rourke, who is a friar at Clare Priory in Suffolk. I recommend it to you if you’d like to find out more.