Psalm 37:7
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.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The words “be still” are really not high on my vocabulary list! In my own defense, I grew up with a grandmother who would call and say, “there are peas and beans to be picked in the garden.” By the time my parents, siblings and I got to her farm to help, said peas or beans were already picked, shelled – and either put up in the freezer, or simmering in a pot on the stove alongside an all-out country dinner! My dad (her son) was one of these “if-you-want-that-fence-torn-down-then-show-me-where-to-put-the-remnants” …or “you’re-thinking-of-moving-so-I’ll-hook-my-trailer-to-the-truck” sort of guy.
Then I married someone who was more pensive and patient. Greg thinks things through…sometimes for days or weeks. He studies all of the angles and carefully weighs the outcomes. He can make split-second decisions…but he can also say, “Let’s not get in a hurry…there is no rush!” He is not an impulse buyer…nor does he have a quick temper. He has helped me to discover that while “The early bird gets the worm”…there is also wisdom in knowing that “Good things come to those who wait”!
As I have grown in my faith and my relationship with the Holy Spirit, I have come to understand the delicate balance of knowing when to act quickly, and when to “be still”. I will be the first in line to press the button when tickets go on sale for a James Taylor concert…but it may take me weeks or months to pick out a new laptop computer or a car. I may be one of the “first responders” when someone I know or care about is in need…but now, I may take a step back and prayerfully consider my response and/or reaction when someone offends me.
I have learned that evil people with wicked schemes don’t really prosper…even when it seems that they may – momentarily, at least. Name one person who truly “skirted by” his/her entire life without some sort of downfall or defeat. I don’t say this to imply that I wish anyone to suffer or to receive “just desserts”. I know plenty of “good people” who have suffered tremendous injustices while it seems that those who defy God at every turn seem to skate along. But I also know that not all rewards and blessings are visible and tangible in this earthly lifetime…nor are the consequences for bad behaviors.
And so, as I sit here with a cup of coffee and talk with you, I suggest that we all take time today – and every day – to “be still”…to consult God before we make decisions of all sizes, shapes and colors…and to wait patiently for His wise reply. Would you really rather have “the worm”…or the “good things” that come from waiting on the LORD? Are you ready to “be still and know” the difference?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The words “be still” are really not high on my vocabulary list! In my own defense, I grew up with a grandmother who would call and say, “there are peas and beans to be picked in the garden.” By the time my parents, siblings and I got to her farm to help, said peas or beans were already picked, shelled – and either put up in the freezer, or simmering in a pot on the stove alongside an all-out country dinner! My dad (her son) was one of these “if-you-want-that-fence-torn-down-then-show-me-where-to-put-the-remnants” …or “you’re-thinking-of-moving-so-I’ll-hook-my-trailer-to-the-truck” sort of guy.
Then I married someone who was more pensive and patient. Greg thinks things through…sometimes for days or weeks. He studies all of the angles and carefully weighs the outcomes. He can make split-second decisions…but he can also say, “Let’s not get in a hurry…there is no rush!” He is not an impulse buyer…nor does he have a quick temper. He has helped me to discover that while “The early bird gets the worm”…there is also wisdom in knowing that “Good things come to those who wait”!
As I have grown in my faith and my relationship with the Holy Spirit, I have come to understand the delicate balance of knowing when to act quickly, and when to “be still”. I will be the first in line to press the button when tickets go on sale for a James Taylor concert…but it may take me weeks or months to pick out a new laptop computer or a car. I may be one of the “first responders” when someone I know or care about is in need…but now, I may take a step back and prayerfully consider my response and/or reaction when someone offends me.
I have learned that evil people with wicked schemes don’t really prosper…even when it seems that they may – momentarily, at least. Name one person who truly “skirted by” his/her entire life without some sort of downfall or defeat. I don’t say this to imply that I wish anyone to suffer or to receive “just desserts”. I know plenty of “good people” who have suffered tremendous injustices while it seems that those who defy God at every turn seem to skate along. But I also know that not all rewards and blessings are visible and tangible in this earthly lifetime…nor are the consequences for bad behaviors.
And so, as I sit here with a cup of coffee and talk with you, I suggest that we all take time today – and every day – to “be still”…to consult God before we make decisions of all sizes, shapes and colors…and to wait patiently for His wise reply. Would you really rather have “the worm”…or the “good things” that come from waiting on the LORD? Are you ready to “be still and know” the difference?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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