When He said be still...

I had just finished Mark Buchanan's book, "The Rest of God". Little ones were doing Kindergarten with Mom in the next room; Joseph was mumbling numbers to himself as he worked on his algebra. Erin was deep in a book; David was grumbling over his handwriting.
It was a good book-all about how God created Sabbath for rest, how we need to slow down from our hectic schedules, so that we can listen to and for God. It reminded me of a Bible verse that goes, "Be still and know that I am God." It fit perfectly-the author must have been thinking about it as he was writing. Out of curiosity I flipped my Bible open to the concordance and began looking for the reference.
Ten minutes later I got up and fetched the concordance from the bookshelf (the one that is three inches thick and has the reference for every word in the Bible). The verse was being stubborn; it did not want to be found. Finally I went to Mom and asked her to use Google to find it. Ten seconds later she told me that the reference is Psalm 46:10.
With a sigh of relief I flipped to the page, scanned the verses, and began reading. No wonder I couldn't find it in the concordance! The NASB translates the first half slightly differently than it is commonly quoted-and I have never heard anybody read the second half.

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

All I could do was sit with my eyes glued to the first eight words. CEASE STRIVING. Not be still, be at peace, or relax, it's okay. CEASE STRIVING. Stop trying. Stop attempting to fix it. Know that God is God, and can fix the world without me interfering.
Wow.
Big difference, huh?
Then I looked first at the rest of the verse, then at the rest of the chapter. We all have done ourselves a huge disfavor by pulling this verse out on its own.

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.
Therefor we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains should slip into the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
Selah.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of  hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, who has wrought desolations in the earth.
He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.
"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.

We all quote verse 10 as "Be still and know that I am God." So he's God, big deal. That doesn't help much when the three year old has snapped your expensive watercolor pencils and you need to get a grip.
But mountains falling into the sea, desolation being wrought, burning chariots and shattered weapons? 
I personally can't help but stop in my tracks when I think about it. What are snapped pencils to shattered spears?
I have problems with getting so caught up in the here and now, in the ceaseless business and striving, that I can't hear God, much less glory in how great he is. No matter how hard I try, I can't get everything done that needs to be done. But that's okay. I don't need to keep working to fix the world, because I can't. 
But God can, and in His own time He will. 
Which leaves me a whole lot more time (now that I'm not saving the world from, well, I don't know what) for reveling in Him.
Care to join me?

May the peace of God go with you!
Rapunzel