Just Be Still - Martin Wiles

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. Exodus 14:13 NLT

Telling two of my grandboys to be still wastes my breath.

My daughters two boys—a five and a three-year-old—are typical boys. They don’t know the meaning of being still. Asking them to sit still while I read them a book or while they eat at the table proves difficult. As does sitting still in a chair on the occasions when we put them in time out for not listening. Their age … and personality … makes them want to move.

I can’t say much. When still, I feel as if I’m wasting time. Perhaps because my dad said, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” I suppose I transferred that to an idle body, too.

I discovered how difficult remaining still is when I had an MRI on my back. The technician said, “Don’t move.” Doing so would distort the images. Every part of my body that never itches, itched. But I dared not scratch.

Being still must have challenged the Israelites as well. Egypt lay behind them—but so did the Egyptian army which was hot on their tails. In front of them lay the Red Sea. They couldn’t move in either direction. Moses instructed them to remain still. God would rescue them. And He did by parting the Red Sea.

Being still is difficult in our noisy world. After teaching middle schoolers all day, my wife doesn’t understand why I want quiet when I get home. She’s listened to whining youngins all day and wants to watch TV or listen to music. I want to hear nothing. I need quiet to think … to hear God.

Busyness and noise drown out God’s voice. We need quiet to hear Him, and this won’t come unless we’re intentional about creating quiet time in our day. When we don’t, we miss out on what God wants to say to us. And what He says is always important to our life journey. He may just want to say that He loves us. Or remind us that He hasn’t forgotten us. Or that He has our situation under control. But we must be still to hear.

Find a quiet time each day where You can listen to God’s still small voice.

Prayer: Father, take us to those quiet places where we can hear from You.

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Just Be Still - Martin Wiles

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7 NLT

“Mr. Wiles, I need you to lie perfectly still.”

My back hurt as it never had before, so after trying to self-medicate myself—to no avail—I decided to visit my family doctor. He scheduled an MRI.

When I arrived, the technician gave me the dreaded command: lie still. In any other circumstance, lying still for thirty minutes wouldn’t be impossible. But when someone tells you to do it, things happen that don’t normally occur. My nose itched, but all I could do was twitch it. My arms itched, and then my legs. Every place imaginable needed my scratching fingers, but I didn’t dare move them lest I hear, “We’re going to have to start the test over. You moved.”

My five-year-old grandson knows less about being still than I do—especially if we give him too many sugary foods. If he doesn’t have his head stuck in Meme’s iPad, he’ll run around our small townhouse as if he’s on speed. I often say to him, “Levi, you’re making me tired just watching you.”

David encouraged his readers not to worry about their enemies or the wicked. They simply needed to be still—to be quiet—and let God handle things.

Along with being still comes silence. A tough thing in our noisy world of electronics and technological gadgets. My wife keeps two of our grandchildren and another small child, but still wants noise when they leave. I teach sixty middle schoolers and want silence when I come home.

Hearing God’s still small voice—which is how He speaks to us, whether through prayer or His Word—proves difficult when He has to compete with noise. Finding silent periods throughout the day makes it likely we’ll hear Him and understand better the guidance He wants to give.

And God’s not much into competition when it comes to choosing between Him and other things. He wants our undivided attention so He can lead us down the best path for every decision, every relationship, and every area of service to others.

In our noisy world, silence won’t come without intentionality on our part. I must mute the television, silence the radio, and take out the earplugs connected to the iPod. If I don’t, I’m likely to miss out on important information from God.

Make a point to find your silent, still spot each day so you can hear God.

Prayer: Father, guide us to that still spot where we can hear Your words to us.

Tweetable: Are you finding time to be still?

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