“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV)
Time is money. The early bird gets the worm. I need it like yesterday. Chop chop. In the 21st century like never before in the history of the world, we are busy. From work to family, to church and hobbies, to self-care and learning, and back again, we are busy. It has been said that idle hands are the devil’s play tool, but you know what? Satan is just as happy to have you so busy and distracted that you are going a million miles a minute while actually not going anywhere.
Earlier in our devotion, all the way back on day 9, we looked at the importance of slowing down. I’ve often been fascinated by how many times God repeats Himself in the Scripture. I think the reason for this is easy to understand, we are forgetful. None of us set out to forget, but it just happens in the hustle and bustle of life. So today I want to pause and acknowledge this reminder: we need to slow down. We need to be intentional about how we spend our time. No matter who you are, you only get 24 hours in a day.
Stop for a minute and think about what a fanatical pace in our lives leads to. High blood pressure? Check. Anxiety? Check. Problems in our most intimate relationships? Check. Bad decisions? Check. Exhaustion? Check. Some of you don’t need another self-help book or a set of new goals and resolutions, some of you just need to rest. Jesus took naps… maybe we should too?
In Psalm 46 the Psalmist is writing about some pretty scary events. Things like the earth giving way, the mountains being moved, the waters roaring and foaming, the mountains trembling. All of this paints a pretty scary picture but the Psalmist gives us an important reminder: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). You know what else happens when we get busy? We take our eyes off Jesus.
Think about the times you are most frantic, and the pace is the most relentless, how do you feel? Physically tired, of course. Mentally and emotionally checked out? Probably. Spiritually drained? Most likely. In the midst of incredible uncertainty, the Psalmist hears a word from God; this is the same word you and I need to hear: “be still and know that I am God.” Be still. Rest. Recharge. Get in God’s presence intentionally and purposefully. Come to Jesus for the rest you need (Matthew 11:28).
There is an acronym that I share with those I teach, HALT. I read about the HALT acronym at some point, and it really hit home. HALT, short for hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, is used to indicate four times that Satan tends to pounce the hardest. When we are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, we seem most susceptible to the attacks of the enemy. Our greatest enemy is a merciless monster who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. In contrast, Jesus came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly! (John 10:10).
I want to challenge you to make a list of all the things you do consistently in your life. Now I know some of you hate lists, but you need to be able to visualize this on paper. Take a few moments and write a list of the things you do daily. It might look like this:
Sample List
Get the kids ready for school
Drop the kids off at school
Cook breakfast
Work for 8 hours
Eat lunch
Workout or exercise
Help the kids with homework
Do the laundry
Cook dinner
Read the Bible
Spend time with my spouse
Your list probably looks a little different than the sample list. Notice what is missing from my list… all the little “extras” that I have to work into my schedule. Where is my time for rest? Most of us don’t do a great job of going to bed when we should or resting when we have time in the day. As a result, we are tired which leads to impatience and anger, being closed off and drained. Does this sound familiar?
I want to challenge you today to make a commitment to intentionally and consistently make time to slow down each day. It doesn’t have to be for hours, just make time. If right now you aren’t resting at all, today try to make 15 minutes to sneak away by yourself and rest. Sit down, close your eyes, and simply rest in the presence of God. If you have to, hide yourself in the closet so you can truly tune out everything else and make a few moments to spend with Jesus.
Throughout the Gospels, you’ll find verses similar to Mark 1:35: And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Jesus did two very important things consistently, He specifically and intentionally made time to pray, and He rested. The Gospels are full of examples of times where Jesus was napping, sometimes even in the midst of storms! Before we close our time together today, I just want to ask you to be honest… when is the last time you rested in God’s presence?
Father, please forgive me for not making intentional time to rest. Lord, I admit there are times where my schedule is so full I can’t even think straight. Jesus, I pray You’d help me model Your attitude concerning prayer and rest. Help me intentionally slow down and make time to rest alone with You. Holy Spirit, please reveal the mindless distractions in my life that take me away from You. Help me make time for You, knowing that You are most important. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
