“Be still and know that I am God”

With these words the Psalmist directs us in the ordering of our lives. He tells us to be still, to rest and to seek peace. Here is an injunction to draw apart from the turmoil of our daily lives and to “Know that I am God.” It would appear that one of the meanings of the word “know” is to “perceive”, to per­ceive or discern that He is God. It also denotes a certain knowledge of God, and, in this instance, something even deeper and more beautiful than that. It means that, while we can never in this life know everything there is to know about God, we can comprehend His faithfulness, His loving kindness, His tender mercies, and many of His other wonderful attributes; in fact, we can know Him as a personal and loving Friend and Father.

But we can never attain this status without at times drawing apart from the world into a quiet place to rest and be silent before Him. It is then that we can feel and appreciate His great wonder and power. It has been said that we can be so busy talking to God that we neglect to listen. It is in the “still, small hours” that we obtain our understanding of Him.

There is in the brotherhood a great need to leave this world of darkness from time to time, and to draw near to God, who will then draw near to us. We do not suggest living like a hermit in isolation, or a monk in seclusion, or that we ruthlessly cut ourselves off from the pleasantries and amenities of life. Never­theless there is this need to follow their example on a periodic basis from time to time, and as often and as regularly as can possibly be done. We should occasionally remove ourselves from noise: the clanging typewriter, the IBM and other machinery, the teeming highways, busses, airplanes, etc.

Draw apart to meditate

How needful it is to draw apart to some quiet spot to reflect and meditate, allowing our minds to be influenced by God’s presence, and lifted up to behold life in a truer perspective, glimpsing a clearer picture of the real values of life! We think of the worthies of old who often did this, and of the Lord Jesus Christ as He ascended into a mountain to spend a night in prayer and meditation with His Father. On one occasion we recall that He said to His disciples: “Come ye into a desert place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31), there to be refreshed in their walk to the Kingdom of God. David likewise teaches the same lesson in the 23rd Psalm where he says: “He leadeth me beside the still waters” (waters of peace), where in quietness he could reflect upon the glory of God. Isaac, also, we are told, was accustomed to go into the fields to meditate. So, each year, we draw apart to our Bible Schools, when, for an entire week, we contemplate and meditate upon the Lord in spirit and in truth. Having, therefore, left the world behind us, we, on such momentous occa­sions, echo those words that we some­times sing: “Oh, master, it is good to be, high on the mountaintop with thee.” Here we can be Still and know God. We can feel his presence in our midst, find peace and tranquility of mind, tune in, or be in tune with the infinite God. In this way we become at-one with Him who is the Creator and Sustainer of life, and share a holy communion or fellowship with Him.

Why go up a mountain?

We may ask, why go up a mountain or to a desert place to worship and re­flect? Because it is only natural that God’s handiwork such as the starry hea­vens, the singing brooks, the rivers, streams and desert should be conducive to a realization that “The heavens declare the glory of God.” With David we can repeat: “O Lord, Our Lord, How manifest are thy works; in wisdom hast thou made them all.” As we breathe in His goodness and glory we see ourselves as insignificant mortals and join the Psalmist as he says: “What is man that thou art mindful of him?”

Here in quietness and beauty we can see how frail at best is dying man as we sometimes sing, how feeble our attempt at righteousness and holiness. It is when we are in such a frame of mind that we ask ourselves the question, What does the Lord require of me? Of course the answer comes clear and distinct from Micah, the prophet: “He hath showed thee, O man, What is good; What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6.8)

Let us now in our quiet moments ex­amine ourselves and see if we measure up to these requirements. Are we just and true in all our ways as we walk through life? Remember, it is written, ” . . . He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God” (2 Samuel 23.3). Unless we are just now, how can we hope to rule with Him in the age to come? Let us see if we are lust in little things as well as in the great. Do we arrive punctually at our work each day, or don’t we bother because the boss is not there or because no time record is kept? Do we take days off whenever we wish and telephone to say that we are sick? Do we bring home office stationary issued to us for use at work and use it at home? Are we just? At the close of the year when the time comes to fill in our state and federal taxes, do we lay claim to a higher amount than is our due? Are we just? If we are not, then what makes us think that we shall suddenly want to be in the age to come?

Are we kind?

Now while we are figuratively on the mountain top, let us see if we are kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving one another and showing mercy. We are not to love mercy as an abstract theory, but to put it into practice in our daily walk. When our brother sins against us we must be ready and willing to for­give him even seventy times seven times —in other words an innumerable num­ber beyond counting. Otherwise we be­come like the unmerciful steward, who, although he himself was forgiven, was not willing to show the same mercy to others. Could we possibly be like that? Are we hasty to criticize, condemn, judge or disfellowship another, acting like the Scribes and Pharisees instead of showing love and mercy? When we think of the woman taken in adultery and the compas­sion shown her by Jesus in His words, “Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more”, what a les­son we see in this for ourselves!

The Jews in the days of our Lord were great sticklers for the letter of the law: they paid tithes, mint, annis and cummin, and yet we are told that they neglected the weightier matters of the law, such as judgment and mercy. We must beware lest we today fall into a similar attitude of mind, and in our rigidness in the letter of the law forget the spirit of Christ which is to manifest the love of God. It is possible to be so filled with ideas and thoughts of preaching the Truth, that we perhaps forget to live the Truth.

“Walk humbly with thy God”

Here again in quietness let us take stock of ourselves to see if we are walk­ing in humility or in pride. This part of the text means to prostrate ourselves be­fore the Lord and not be highminded in any way. Now this is all very well, but when we of one ecclesia assume the prerogative of judging and condemning another ecclesia that has dealt with mat­ters in a different manner than we might have done, are we not being highminded when we presume to tell them how they ought to have handled their business? Surely, with all the facts at their disposal, which we so often do not have, we ought to credit them with at least an equal amount of intelligence to our own in the discernment of the issue involved. Is that exercising humility and lowliness before God and our brethren ? “Let him that thinketh he stand­eth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10 12) is an admonition to all of us, both young and old in the Truth.

Let us realize like Abraham that we are but Dust and Ashes as we stand before God apart from the grace of our Lord. We should, therefore, strive to be more humble in our daily lives and in our fellowship one with another. Let us remember, as we analyze our position, that no matter what talents we may pos­sess, that all these things are gifts from God. Likewise if we are great workers for the Lord, serve on many committees and are untiring in the preaching of the Word, let us realize that this, too, is of the Lord. There is not one of us that is indispensable before Him; we have all been called in His mercy from the least to the greatest, if there is such a distinction, and He can dismiss us from the scene when our usefulness has ended. We may be great and eloquent speakers or preachers of the Word, yet once more we must recognize our dependence upon God who has given the tongue any eloquence it may have, and realize that He could cause the very stones to cry out and testify to His Truth. No matter how we look at it we see no reason for pride in our accomplishments, or to glory in ourselves.

Saved by Grace

We realize even more powerfully that it is by Grace we are saved, not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:9.10). The Lord wants no boasting or glorying in the flesh but rather if a man glory let him glory in the Lord. The Lord wants humility in His creatures, praise, not pride or arrogance, for He is a jealous God whom Isaiah tells us will not share His glory with another. The Lord Jesus Christ in His Sermon on the Mount says, “Blessed are the meek“, so if we are proud and haughty, then in the day the proud shall burn as stubble we can expect no different treat­ment. The Apostle Paul tells us that love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, and does not magnify itself above its fellows, but keeps a lowly opinion of itself. Everything is the Lord’s to bestow as He sees fit, and what can we give Him but our hearts, our love, our time and our talents? This was obviously what Paul had in mind when he said: ” . . . Present your bodies a living sacrifice . . . ” (Romans 12:1), dedicate and consecrate ourselves to His service. Surely this is what is meant by that won­derful hymn 248: “Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to thee, . . . “

Again, while in the stillness before our God, let us examine ourselves by asking a few questions. If we own a car do we use it in the service of the Lord by taking the old and infirm among us to the Sunday meetings, fraternal gatherings and Bible School ? If we have mo­ney, do we use it for the radio broad­casts and campaigns, and other work of the Lord, without letting our right hand know what the left hand is doing? If we have homes, do we use them for the ecclesia’s midweek gathering where both old and young can meet together for in­struction classes, hymn singing and social gatherings? Do we use our windows from time to time to advertise our Sun­day night lectures and special efforts? Do we let our light shine among men?

Finally, let us look briefly at that man who, in his communion with his Maker, was second only to the Lord Jesus Christ, a man after God’s own heart who hun­gered and thirsted after righteousness and longed for oneness with his God. Those of us at the Bible School who attended Brother Shrimpton’s class on the Psalms will recall his explaining that when the hart out in the desert regions looked for water he was not doing it for fun, but as a matter of life and death. So likewise is it a matter of life and death for us to search and find God. We must thirst for the living waters of Truth.

What an example this man David is to us in his dedication to the things of the Lord! It is safe to say that it is only this constant communion with his God, which, in spite of his frailties and defi­ciencies, made him acceptable unto the Lord. So let us follow the example of this man of meditation and do likewise, so that our sometimes miserable and pitiful lives can be acceptable to God. Thus we shall daily become stronger in the power of the Word, having it written and engraved upon our hearts. If we follow God’s injunction to Be still and know that he is God, wherever we go His Word shall lead us, when we lie down it shall watch over us, and when we awake it shall commune with us.

As we now come down to earth from our figurative mountaintop, let us put into practice what we have learned from hearing God’s still, small voice, and let us often fly to this refuge that we may learn of Him and ever draw closer to Him. Let us be worthy to call Him “Father”, knowing that He always hears us when we pray if we approach Him in humility and in truth.