Scripture exhorts us to keep the Sabbath day holy!  It further recommends that we “be still” and know He is God!

Over the centuries we’ve come to many different interpretations of these two exhortations.   I’m not going into a theological debate about them as I would probably lose.  But I do want to say something I’ve come to recognize about our Heavenly Papa’s reason for laying down the above 2 exhortations.

Have you ever said to your spouse or a dear friend - “you’re not listening to me!”  We know that because the eyes glaze over or there’s no head nodding or the eyes are turned in another direction with the nose in a book or magazine.  If we were to ask the person to whom we’re speaking, they might be able to repeat verbatim what we said.  To them, that’s listening or hearing what we said!

But that’s not what most of us want when we are sharing with another who is closer to our hearts than others.  We want them to hear us!  We want them to capture the essense of what we’re sharing!  Simply repeating the words we’ve just spoken isn’t what we want.

How does this relate to “keeping the Sabbath day holy” or “be still & know?”

If we want the person to whom we are sharing to “be still & listen”; then why wouldn’t our Heavenly Papa want us to be still and know He’s there; listening to our hearts; and sharing with us in return.

If I’m constantly on the go - every day of the week - then how am I ever going to be able to “be still and know” what He is saying to me.  The very things I need & want from Him. 

I’ve learned that it’s not so much a “command” as it is an urgent request from the One who knows our innermost workings better than any other.  And knows that if I don’t s-l-o-w down and be quiet; I can’t hear.

Over the years, I’ve had folks say to me that God never answers their prayers.  My response is often - “are you listening?”  Usually I get a blank stare.  He always answers us - in one way or another.  But His answer may not be what we’re expecting.  Only because He knows better what we need than we know ourselves.

There’s a great deal more to it than what I’m saying here; but this is not the time nor place to say it.  What I’m most interested in conveying is that He admonished us to keep one day “holy”.  Keep it for Him.  Take one day in the week and “be still”.  Listen for His words that will bring healing and hope to us.  Words that will revive us when we’re weary from six hard days of labor.

So my encouragement for the day is to slow down.  Be quiet and rest.  Take time to know He hears and wait with an open attentive mind for His responses.

Have an awesome, quiet Sunday with rich blessings & much love,

Linda, a fellow journeyer