“Be still, and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10, NKJV
The neighborhood in which I live is marketed as “55 and ‘Better.’” When I moved in a little over a year ago, the immediate realization hit me that my new community is one of active seniors who enjoy being on the move. Every morning as the sun begins to rise, men, women, and dogs are out walking up and down the sidewalks in winter, spring, summer, and fall. The activities list for owners is long and varied from bocce ball to pickleball. Whew…in my younger days, I might have been vying for a place on “the team,” but today I am only a spectator and cheerleader for those with more energy.
Even my computer sends messages now suggesting a way I might be able to “get more done” in a day. Frank Sinatra sang about New York as “the city that never sleeps.” The fact is, we live in an ever-moving world, that never sleeps. With the ability to communicate twenty-four hours a day on a “smart device” that has become an extension of our fingertips, making time to be still is hard to do. As a side note, sleep deprivation is said to be a leading culprit in the growing number of dementia cases. So, what is one to do?
Every person has the same twenty-four hours available; what we do with those hours is up to us. God, the Giver of time, instructs us to “Be still…” Prayer is one way to refocus our attention away from the “tyranny of the urgent.” Leave your phone and other devices in another room, otherwise, you will be tempted to let these things reign supreme instead of the Lord, who seeks the very best for His creation. You might be surprised if you submit to God instead of the algorithms, how much better and more peaceful life becomes. Jesus, who never had access to technology, has left His legacy for well over 2000 years, and He always found time to “be still” in the presence of His Father. I submit that Jesus has more “followers” than anyone else on planet earth!
For deeper understanding, read Psalm 46 and be blessed.