Be still and know

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.  Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
    
Psalm 46 is a beautiful piece of scripture.  It is a scripture that we do not like to think could EVER be about us.  Fact is -- we all have low points.  We all have times in our life where we scream out to God.

We like to talk about the frilly times.  We like to talk about the pretty mountain top experiences of our lives where everything is right and holy with the world.  We like to push away the "bad" times.  The more we push them away, the more we realize they happen.

I have a horrible fear of thunderstorms.  I hate them.  I feel like it is a real loss of control for me.  When I was 4, I lived through a tornado.  It was scary. I remember the storm shelter in Lubbock Texas VERY vivdly.  I remember the boxer puppy, Toot, that was our neighbor's dog in the corner of the shelter scared to death.  I felt about like Toot did.

The second year I worked at Lutherhill, I remember the first night of staff training.  We had a tornado.  I remember again being scared to death.  I was considered leadership because I had been on staff before.  I hate thunderstorms so the thought of being "in charge" was petrifying.

I was asked the other day when fear becomes love.  Over the years, I have come to accept thunderstorms.  I recognize that I am safe and recognize that God is wrapping me in His arms keeping me safe.  My fear for thunderstorms has become an outpouring of love and grace toward God.  I still don't "like" them, but I can find love in them.

So, what about low places?  In the lowest of the low places, how does fear become love?  How do you react out of love in those times and not fear?

The only thing I can say is with faith.  I am still learning to believe that.  I want to react out of fear and control of my situations but know that it is out of love and giving all things to God that I find my faith.  Releasing those things which I cannot control only make me stronger in my love and faith.

And later on in Psalm 46 verse 10 is a verse I keep coming back to -- "Be still and know that I am God."  That verse is a verse that I have come to focus on when all is busy and crazy in the world.  Be still.  That is so so hard to do.  The knowing that I am God is much easier.  Even there though, knowing that God is in complete control and is cradling me in His arms is not always easily understood.  It is not always easy to accept that I don't have control.

Be still and know that I am God.
Amen