Stillness


"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper--it only leads to harm." Psalm 37:3-8 

I stood at the tank mesmerized. The aquarium's display of jellyfish from around the world, illuminated with colored lights, absolutely captivated me. Living creatures suspended in the water weightless. Their movements, so graceful and effortless, were truly hypnotic. Everyone who walked into the room immediately grew still. My imagination sprung to life and the whirl of racing thoughts hit a pause button.

I think King David missed the simple shepherd David's stillness. His Psalms, like this one for today, make it very easy to see David imagining himself back in the fields with his flock lost in the flickering constellations. Trust. Take delight in. Commit everything to. Trust. Be still. Wait for. No worrying, anger, rage, or temper. These are the instructions of a person seeking the solace that only his Creator can provide.

Determined to fix, we press relentlessly into whatever challenge lies before us. "If it's to be, it's up to me" becomes our mantra. Problem solvers. Movers. Shakers. Git-r-dun guys. We'll figure it out. Life, however, has a funny way of bringing us to the end of ourselves. Storms completely out of our control crash to pieces our carefully crafted plans. A little help David? "Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act."    

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