Ps.46:10 – Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

This scripture has played an important role in my life for the last fifty years. Prophet Dick Mills spoke this word over me back in my Bible school days the night before I was to lead a team on a tree planting trip to raise funds for a church plant we were going to lead in Sacramento, California. This word from the Lord stopped me in my tracks and led the pastors of our ministry to a time of fasting and prayer to hear from the Lord. During that season of prayer the Lord confirmed to me and the pastors who I was submitted to that Parris and I were to move back to New Orleans and begin our ministry there. Almost five decades later we are still at it in NOLA, I am so grateful for this word from the Lord. Here are some thoughts from Jonathan Edwards on this verse.

“The great works of God, wherein his sovereignty appeared, had been described in the foregoing verses. In the awful desolations that he made, and by delivering his people by terrible things, he showed his greatness and dominion. Herein he manifested his power and sovereignty, and so commands all to be still, and know that he is God. For says he, I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. In the words may be observed. A duty described, to be still before God, and under the dispensations of his providence; which implies that we must be still as to words; not speaking against the sovereign dispensations of Providence, or complaining of them; not darkening counsel by words without knowledge, or justifying ourselves and speaking great swelling words of vanity. We must be still as to actions and outward behavior, so as not to oppose God in his dispensations; and as to the inward frame of our hearts, cultivating a calm and quiet submission of soul to the sovereign pleasure of God, whatever it may be.”

Human nature has a hard time just being still but sometimes that is exactly what we must do. Edwards broke being still down into two categories. First, he said we were to be still as to our words. In other words don’t be vocal in your anxieties or doubt, just let your words harmonize with the plan of God. Secondly he said to be still in our actions. All this means is not to take matters into our own hands, wait on the Lord and let His plans unfold. Speaking strife or getting ahead of the Lord in our actions accomplishes nothing, being still is the way to live your life.