A Worshipful Woman will Be Still
Be still and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10
A worshipful woman will be still.
How often would you describe your life as still? One of the dictionary’s definitions for still is ‘quiet and calm, with nothing happening.’ Perhaps you’ve experienced that once or twice, for twenty seconds or so, in the past decade. If you are the average Christian woman, you juggle
errands, appointments, bills, housework, deadlines, laundry, meetings, friends, yard work, Little League…still isn’t even in your universe. And yet, the Bible’s instruction is plain – Be still and know that I am God. A worshipful woman must learn how to be still before God.
Worship is the occupation of my heart and mind with God Himself. This is why stillness is so essential to worship. God does not ask us to be still so that we can prove how self-disciplined we are or so that we can achieve a relaxed mental state. No, He asks us to be still so that we can know that He is God. The demands of daily life can keep us in constant motion, so slowing down until we can focus only on Him has to be intentional and purposeful.
The Israelites, God’s chosen people, struggled throughout their history with idolatry. The Old Testament reminds us over and over again of how Israel was prone to forsaking God to worship idols. They gravitated to idols because those were gods they could see and touch. Those gods were tangible and seemed so much more ‘real’ than their invisible God. How often do we make the same mistake? We can see the television. We can touch the phone screen. We can hear the kids arguing. We can taste the French fries. We get all caught up in what we think is ‘real’ life. We seldom stop moving long enough to experience the God who cannot be seen or touched but is more real than anything our senses can perceive. We are privileged to know this invisible God when we train ourselves to be still before Him.
A few years ago, I got a taste of how real a relationship with God can be when I read a wonderful little book called My Heart – God’s Home but Robert Boyd Munger. The book compares welcoming Christ into your life to sharing your home with a friend. I want you to read Munger’s heart-wrenching illustration of the struggle to be still before God.
We moved next into the living room. This was a quiet, comfortable room with a warm atmosphere. I liked it…He also seemed pleased with it. He said, “Indeed, this is a delightful room. Let’s come here often. It’s secluded and quiet, and we can have good talks and fellowship together.”
Well, naturally, as a young Christian, I was thrilled. I couldn’t think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes alone with Christ in close companionship.
He promised, “I will be here every morning early. Meet me here, and we will start the day together.”
So morning after morning, I would go downstairs to the living room. He would take a book of the Bible from the bookcase, open it, and we would read it together. He would unfold to me the wonder of God’s saving truth recorded on its pages and make my heart sing as He shared all He had done for me and would be to me. Those times together were wonderful. Through the Bible
and His Holy Spirit, He would talk to me. In prayer I would respond. So our friendship deepened in those quiet times of personal conversation.
However, under the pressure of many responsibilities, little by little, this time began to be shortened. Why, I’m not sure. Somehow, I assumed I was just too busy to give special, regular time to be with Christ. This was not a deliberate decision, you understand; it just seemed to happen that way. Eventually not only was the period shortened, but I began to miss days now and then…
One morning, I recall rushing down the steps in a hurry to be on my way to an important appointment. As I passed the living room, the door was open. Glancing in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus sitting there. Suddenly, in dismay, it came to me. He is my guest! I invited Him into my heart. He has come as my Savior and Friend to live with me. Yet here I am, neglecting Him.
I stopped, turned, and hesitantly went in. With downcast glance I said, “Master, I’m sorry! Have you been here every morning?”
“Yes,” He said. “I told you I would be here to meet with you...The trouble is that you have been thinking of our quiet time as a means for your own spiritual growth. This is true, but you have forgotten that this time means something to Me also. Remember, I love you. At a great cost I have redeemed you. I value your fellowship. Just to have you look up into My face warms My heart. Don’t neglect this hour, if only for My sake. Whether or not you want to be with Me, remember I want to be with you…”
Those words motivated me to become a worshipful woman. They reminded me of the inexpressible value of learning to be still and really appreciating the awesome opportunity to know the God who wants to be with me more than I want to be with Him. I now have a chair in my living room where I picture Christ sitting. I remind myself that He is patiently waiting for me, that He is saddened and disappointed when I occupy myself with a thousand other things - even valid, important things - and leave Him sitting there alone.
The unbelieving world will mock me for this. They will say I am mentally underdeveloped, like a kindergartener who depends on an invisible friend. They will scoff at my ‘weakness’ and declare me psychologically warped or brainwashed. But they don’t know God like I do. They don’t know the God who says,
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)
They don’t know the God who promises,
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. (Isaiah 43:2)
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
They don’t know the God who always wants to meet me for as many quiet moments as I’ll give Him, just like He did with Adam and Eve in the garden in the cool of the day. Or with Enoch, who walked with Him. Or with David, who spent time with Him in the middle of the night. They don’t know the God who is always there when I let go of my busy schedule, my trivial pursuits, the earthly concerns that are always grabbing at my attention and determine to be still before Him.
I can know that God. When I take seriously the command to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), I will find myself heart to heart with the One who wrote these beautiful words, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee… (Jeremiah 31:3). Worship is the occupation of my heart and mind with that God. He’s waiting for me to be still and know that He is all I could ever need or want.
Wanda Mitchell was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and she came to the States to attend Maranatha Baptist University (MBBC then!). Wanda graduated with degree in elementary education. She has since been employed at Heritage Hall Christian School and Grace Baptist Church, Muncie, where she taught for 10 years and has been in elementary administration for 25 years.Wanda enjoys teaching an adult women’s Sunday school class, as well as women’s Bible studies and elective classesHer life’s motivation is I Samuel 12:24, Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He hath done for you.
