Don’t Touch The Stove!

Psalm 46 is a song of confidence, each verse celebrates God’s strength and provision.

The psalmist talks of God in the third person until verse 10, where a word is shared from God Himself:

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

It would be easy to read “Be still, and know that I am God…” and assume the idea is to literally stop all activity and be still. It would be easy to imagine that verse as a reminder to prioritize our 15-minute quiet time in the morning, to shut off our phones more often, and to be quick to listen and slow to speak. But friend, I think we’d be missing the point of these powerful three lines.

God isn’t advising or comforting. With the phrase, “Be still,” God is admonishing that the argument and opposition should cease in response to His glory and greatness. Ten verses in, God powerfully introduces Himself in this psalm and demands that our rebellious hearts stop our arguing and surrender to the Almighty God of the universe.

Old Testament scholar Derek Kidner writes,

Be still… is not in the first place comfort for the harassed but a rebuke to a restless and turbulent world: “Quiet!” – in fact, “Leave off!”

Theologian James Montgomery Boice adds,

In this setting, “Be still and know that I am God” is not advice to us to lead a contemplative life, however important that may be… It means rather, “Lay down your arms. Surrender, and acknowledge that I am the one and only victorious God.”

In Psalm 46, God isn’t advising for more hours in quiet prayer, as beneficial as that is. God is grabbing the hearts of a broken and ignorant world. Like an authoritative father to a mischievous toddler, God grabs our hand and firmly reminds us, “Be still. Stop. Knock it off. Remember who I am. Don’t fall for the traps of this world. Surrender to me.”

I love this picture of our heavenly Father as He takes His rightful place as the one who is exalted among nations and throughout the Earth - reminding His people that nothing else we run to will ever compare to Him. He won’t compete with our other idols, He is deserving of every ounce of our attention. We stop, we are still, we surrender, not for nothing! Not out of blind faith! But, as the second half of that line says, we are still because we know that He is God!

God doesn’t ask us to submit contrary to logic - instead reason is the ground for our surrender. Of course, we would surrender to Him. He is the Creator! He is all-powerful! He is God! Why would we run anywhere else?

Friend, I have a feeling there are some rebellious hearts hearing these words today. The world is enticing. And the tricky part is that sin dresses up as everything you’ve ever wanted. We’re so easily distracted like a naughty toddler reaching for the hot stove. We seek things that we think will benefit us: money, sex, power, influence, relationships, possessions. And our Father sees what we don’t: the danger and destruction that’s looming behind all of those things. He swats our hand from the burning stove and says, “Be still! Don’t fall for it! It’s going to hurt you! Come to me! I’m your Father! I have your best interest at heart!”

Brother, sister, there are dangerous temptations in your life. There are distractions and idols and a very alluring, sinful world. Your Father is calling to you today. He is asking you to be still.

What burning stoves are pulling you in? Where is God inviting you to surrender more deeply? Are you ready to listen? Are you ready to follow the God who is exalted among the nations?

God,

We are listening. We surrender. We submit to you. In the name of Jesus, would you give us strength to resist all that distracts us from you? Guide us closer. You deserve all of the glory.

Amen.

Cristina Schmitter

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