Be Still

If this photo looks out of focus, that's because the puppy in the picture was in constant movement and made it impossible for me to get a good picture of him.  My sweet grandson Storm is patiently holding this little wiggling Chihuahua, the newest addition to their dog family.

I took six pictures trying to get a good one of the dog and he's in constant movement and out of focus in every picture.  Of course, I'm going to see a spiritual message in this: the obvious I see is that if we as Christians don't have frequent times of stillness before God, our lives are going to become out of focus on a regular basis.

God makes it clear in His word that we must have quiet times before Him to be cleansed, to recharge, to rejoice, to remember that He is God.  The Psalmist reminds us to, "Be still and know that I am God" 46:10.  I find that the times I neglect this important directive, I am not in a good place.  The "out of focus" feeling that I get is real and it is not the way I want to live.  The only saving grace about such times is that I eventually call out to God and say, "Help!  I'm spinning out of control here and I need you to grab my hand and help me get grounded and back to my right place with You."

God is so loving and patient!  He hears my cry and draws me back to that place of stillness where I can become grounded again.  I love the verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14:  "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 

That "heal their land" bit, I believe, also refers to healing our needs and our heartaches and our lack of peace.  God is ready and waiting -- and even eager -- to help us be still and rest in Him and find the balance and focus we need to live life with joy and purpose.  We were not created to be in constant movement.  Even this little Chihuahua is still when he's sleeping (:  We need to "Be still and know..." that God is God and that we are His beloved children and rest in the beauty of that truth.