Be Still, and Know That I Am God
"Be still, and know that I am God," is the injunction of the Lord through the psalmist. How many fail to recognize the presence of God, and drive it away, simply by a failure to heed it. After the earthquake, the tempest, and the fire, it was the still, small voice that revealed God to the prophet. But often there is so much confusion, even in some assemblies for worship, that a still, small voice could not be heard. And then there is the sound of hilarity and mirth, and the boisterous amusements in which young people, even those professing godliness, are wont to indulge, all of which drown the voice of God, and drive away the Spirit. Still worse than these are the voices of envy and strife, which grieve the Holy Spirit of God. It is in the quiet seclusion of the closet that the soul comes nearest to God; and the more of quietness one can have in his everyday life, the more perfect will be his communion with his Maker. This does not mean that a person should sit with folded hands, doing nothing. Daniel had all the affairs of the kingdom of Babylon in his hands, yet God came to him in the midst of his business, and gave him a wonderful vision. But we cannot imagine a vision being given to him if he had been rushing and fuming and fretting. No; the presence of God gives perfect peace, and the humble, quiet-minded person is the one with whom God will take up his abode. So when the apostle warns us against grieving the Spirit of God, he exhorts us especially to put clamor away from us.