“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:2
When was the last time you sat near the ocean when it was calm? if you are a little like me I can get really bored pretty fast if there is nothing going on in front of me. Which is kind of sad not going to lie.
I remember this picture oh what a sweet one it was. y’all this is literally one of my favorite pictures only because I know that I was literally living out the word SELAH. If you don’t know what Selah means, it means, pause. It is also a synonym word for Hebrew words meaning, forever. On the Logos website it says this, Selah is a derivative of the Hebrew root salal (note the s and l), which means to “raise voices in praise” or “make the instruments louder.”
little thought. is our Selah filled with praise? Are we making our lives louder for Christ? We need to pause more and reflect on Him, who gave it all so we could be free, when we pause and remember His sacrifice, and look back at what he does it should excite us and raise praises louder.
I’ll ask it again, when was the last time you just sat by still water? or if you don’t live by the ocean when was the last time you sat on a bench or went to a coffee shop and just sat and existed.
What keeps us from turning everything off and simply being with God? Why does it feel weird to simply not do anything?
Here is my take. For me, it just feels weird to do things by myself. Doing things by myself feels like I have no one that wants to be in my life, I feel lonely. But that cannot be farther from the truth. I truly believe the people in my life love me and enjoy time with me. But I have also realized that for those times to be enjoyable we are all called to spend time with the Father so we can be rejuvenated by him for the betterment of one another. I also believe social media is not really helpful, we see everyone doing everything together, and obviously it looks fun and we want to do the same.
JEALOUSY CAN KEEP US FROM EXPERIENCING THE GOODNESS OF GOD IN THE STILL WATERS.
This verse in Luke always gets me:
‘Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42
another reason we most likely don’t go out of our way to stand by the still waters because we have important things to do, or it seems lazy to do nothing and just sit. But clearly Jesus disapproved of Martha’s actions. He said, “Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things but one things is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Leave it to Jesus, to call you out in front of everyone. side note: let’s bring back calling out one another when we see something off. It can end up changing trajectories even just small decisions.
Martha, Martha. Part of me asks was she trying to keep her name good, they literally chose their house to host the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Savior of the world, like how would you act if you were chosen as a host spot for the in human flesh Christ. That would indeed be wild. My mind would go crazy, okay, I have to buy fresh everything, no perservatives, loaf from scratch and warm straight from the oven, what type of dessert should I make with what pairing, my house is my house clean and mopped should I double mop because my kids play and get it messy and go outside and dog goes outside and tracks mud in or leaves, my house has to look 100%, oh my husband better be home in time for this arrival.
Y’ALL I truly don’t believe the Lord would care. Like I know he cares, but even the children part, he says to the disciples, “But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”(Luke 18:16-17) He desires for us to be ready for him in and out of season, he wants to see hearts who are sitting daily at his feet, when we sit at his feet he fills us with everything we need to have a hospitable life. But when we don’t take the time to sit with the Father, when we get an opportunity to be hospitable, it will be really hard to do in an un-anxious, worried about all the little details.
Our daily rhythm with the Father will affect our daily rhythm with others, they will either see the goodness of God or see the busyness of the world.
I sympathize with Martha, because I can be Martha, I can be wrapped up in my appearance, and want to be the best house on the block, the hostess with the mostest, add attractions to my house so that I would be the one everyone wants to go to.
recently, walked with a friend of mine where I realized finally, that I was creating my identity or likability by how many people text me, how many people come over to our house at a daily basis. But obviously that is terrible. I buy things so people can feel more at home. But truly, recently the Lord clearly encouraged me, people come because of your true love for them, your desire to see them uplifted, to see them being conformed more and more into the image of His Son. That should be my only desire and nothing else, that my home would simply be a resting place where whoever comes comes and is refreshed and reignited to go and occupy their space and bring the love of God to those around them by knowing confidently how deeply loved they our by the Father.
okay, I feel like I went on a tangent but I truly believe when we sit by the still waters the Lord will refresh us so we can then refresh others in such a way where they will indeed encounter the goodness of God in their lives through your sitting with the Father.
Remember, that you are being watched. How will you be remembered by? Someone who sat with the Father and arose or someone who arose and then sat with the Father but with frustration and exhaustion. Not that that is a bad thing but there’s a beauty when we go to the Father first before acting. but, last little thought on Martha, did she know that Jesus and the disciples were coming? It also shows how we have to be ready spiritually to welcome in anyone, and that they would see Christ. Mary sat with the Savior, that was the best thing. Jesus sat with the Father before ministering to the people, he went off by himself before the disciples needed him to calm the storm and show him who he truly was, that they would have greater faith.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU TURNED EVERYTHING OFF AND SAT WITH THE FATHER? 🙂
EVERYTHING WILL GET DONE. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN SITTING BY THE STILL WATERS, AND HEARING THE HEARTBEAT OF THE FATHER FOR US, SO WE CAN DO FROM OUR IDENTITY AS HIS SON AND DAUGHTER.
Go be a spark of influence, and may we together ignite the world.
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