Naptime!
Posted in brigitte's posts, I am, know God, matthew 11, psalm 46, rest 2 comments
My youngest, Bug, has always given me the hardest time about
sleeping. He is a snuggle Bug and requires either his Daddy or myself to lie
down with him, a full bottle of milk, white noise machine and all the planets
in the universe to align. He will toss and turn and wiggle and wriggle until he
has wedged himself perfectly between my back and the pillow. Sometimes he will
babble “play ball” and swing his arms as if to hit a baseball. While all of this
is quite precious and noteworthy for future storytelling, it gets old being a
twice a day requirement. This process
can take anywhere from 5-40 minutes. Some days I have endless patience with the
process and soak up every last snuggle. Other days it is so maddening that I
want to stab myself in the eyeball. Meanwhile, the four year old is
unsupervised in the house doing God knows what. (Thank you, Jesus, for NickJr)
Yesterday naptime was a 35 minute process. The Bug wiggled and flipped and babbled and oh my Jesus. “Be still!” I said again and again. As I felt myself growing impatient, God spoke to me.
God: “Yes, Dear One, be still.”
Me: “But I don’t have time for this today, Lord.
God: “Child, be still and…”
Me: “Did I send that email?”
God: “Daughter, be still and know…”
Me: “Ugh, this is so annoying. I’m going to blow my top. Will I ever conquer the giant of rage?”
God: “…Know that…”
Me: “How will my children describe me? Do they know I love them?”
God: “…know that I am…”
Me: “Dude, seriously? How hard is it to be still?”
God: “Ahem! Beloved, be still and know that I am God.”
Me: “Oh…whoops.”
Be still –a nearly impossible request for this modern day American woman. Have you seen my schedule? Have you met my two boys? Don’t you know I’m repelled by idleness? Who can rest with a to-do list like mine?
The Lord knows how busy my life is. He gave me those kids. He knows how rowdy they are. He sort of knows everything right? Why then is he commanding me to be still?
Oh yeah…to know Him.
Yesterday naptime was a 35 minute process. The Bug wiggled and flipped and babbled and oh my Jesus. “Be still!” I said again and again. As I felt myself growing impatient, God spoke to me.
God: “Yes, Dear One, be still.”
Me: “But I don’t have time for this today, Lord.
God: “Child, be still and…”
Me: “Did I send that email?”
God: “Daughter, be still and know…”
Me: “Ugh, this is so annoying. I’m going to blow my top. Will I ever conquer the giant of rage?”
God: “…Know that…”
Me: “How will my children describe me? Do they know I love them?”
God: “…know that I am…”
Me: “Dude, seriously? How hard is it to be still?”
God: “Ahem! Beloved, be still and know that I am God.”
Me: “Oh…whoops.”
Be still –a nearly impossible request for this modern day American woman. Have you seen my schedule? Have you met my two boys? Don’t you know I’m repelled by idleness? Who can rest with a to-do list like mine?
The Lord knows how busy my life is. He gave me those kids. He knows how rowdy they are. He sort of knows everything right? Why then is he commanding me to be still?
Oh yeah…to know Him.
God is inviting me to quiet my body, mind, and soul to
focus only on him. He knows what I need better than I do most of the time every
time. God demands my attention because he sees the free fall I’m headed to at
the edge of the cliff.
“Be still” is a directive given by God many times throughout scripture when we find ourselves in times of trouble:
Psalm 46:1-3, 10
God
is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
Be still and know that I am God!
(also Ex 14:14, Ps 37:7, Mk 4:39)
I don’t’ know what may be going on in your life today, but
it’s an earthquake in mine. The evil one is determined to shake my foundation
and destroy me. While satan’s attacks are plenty, alluring, and often
incognito, my God’s whisper in a dark bedroom at naptime speaks louder than all
the shouts from hell. My God knows that I need a few quiet moments every day to
reflect on who He is. Let's face it...there should be nothing more vital to the Christian life than to be still in the presence of the Father quietly reflecting on all that He is. Yet even though I thoughtlessly find myself distracted,
busy and fighting the stillness…my faithful Lord ushers me into his shelter. He
nurtures me, snuggles me in and waits for my body to still…my breathing to
deepen…my eyes to close…and I find rest.
Just like this Momma knows it’s best for Bug (ok, for
everyone) to take a nap, my Lord knows when I need rest.
Where would I be without my Jesus?
Where are you? Let me encourage you today to be still before
the Lord. I know if you are anything like me every bone in your body will fight
against you. Just do it anyway. Lie there until His stillness finds you. Find
rest for your weary soul.
Then Jesus said, “Come to
me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble
and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
2 comments:
Love this! Such a great reminder that "being still" is actively pursuing God. Love you!
This is a good word, Brigitte. At the times when we need peace most desperately, everything else in our world is screaming "stuff needs to be done!" It takes gargantuan discipline to quiet ourselves in the chaos. But when we make the effort and DO it, God does not disappoint. "Better is one day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere..." :)
Post a Comment