Take a Vacation

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10)

This year I’ve been reading Philip Yancey’s book, Grace Notes. It’s a book of daily meditations  I usually read at night. It gives me something to think about as I fall asleep. I recently read what he had to say about Psalm 46:10. He said, “The Latin imperative for “be still” is vacate. I never thought of it that way before. Yancey quotes Simon Tugwell: “God invites us to take a holiday (vacation), to stop being God for a while, and let him be God.”  Wow! That hit home for me.

This Psalm begins, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (verse 1). The next verses speak of the earth giving way, mountains falling and quaking. Even though nations may fall or the earth may end, God is God and He will be exalted.  God’s dwelling place will not fall!  In other words, God is powerful and eternal and He can be trusted.

I try to take matters into my own hands sometimes and think I can figure it out, which usually doesn’t work anyway.  It seems God is saying, “I will be exalted among the nations and in the earth no matter what you do.” God is God and I can never be God. Why do I try? Since the Garden of Eden people have tried to become like God.

Could it be when I pray I’m not allowing God to be God? Prayer is more than asking God for help.  It is recognizing who He is and knowing that without Him I am nothing. (In typing that last sentence I mistakenly typed “mothering” for the word “nothing”. Ouch!)  It is allowing Him to be God and to work things out in His time.  Prayer is humbly allowing God to be in control. I must vacate that place of control, take a break from trying to do it all myself. Take a vacation.

Dear God, I am so thankful You are my refuge and strength. I can do nothing without You. Your ways are not my ways and your thoughts are not my thoughts.  I want You to take control.  Amen