The Stillness of God
Psalm 46 opens in absolute chaos. Mountains are hurled into the sea; waters roar and foam (Ps 46:2). The land dissolves. The mountains tremble. It’s a vivid picture of de-creation—a reversal of the order God established in Genesis 1–2.
Absolute chaos.
Even the mountains—symbols of stability—tremble at the swelling sea (Ps 46:3). The chaos waters threaten to swallow everything. What once seemed immovable is now afraid.
In the midst of the chaos, God commands, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10).
Fast forward a few hundred years. Another storm forms and fear takes over. Let's look at this story:
And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:37–41).
Jesus was still.
I mean, he was dead-asleep type of still!
The disciples on the other hand were shaking in their boots, terrified the wind and waves would take over.
They were not still. They did not know He was God.
The waves obeyed.
Will we?
Absolute chaos.
Even the mountains—symbols of stability—tremble at the swelling sea (Ps 46:3). The chaos waters threaten to swallow everything. What once seemed immovable is now afraid.
In the midst of the chaos, God commands, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10).
Fast forward a few hundred years. Another storm forms and fear takes over. Let's look at this story:
And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:37–41).
Jesus was still.
I mean, he was dead-asleep type of still!
The disciples on the other hand were shaking in their boots, terrified the wind and waves would take over.
They were not still. They did not know He was God.
The waves obeyed.
Will we?
Posted in Psalms
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