“Be still, and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10
It was a gentle reminder. So last Sunday we were driving to church and heard a soft “ding.” A quick look at the dash told us why. Our car has a built-in thermometer and when the temperature dips to 39 degrees, it sounds a soft chime to let us know that the temperature outside has reached a point where the roads might be slippery because of ice or snow. It is a great idea because sometimes we get too busy to be careful and then, well, it can lead to a mess. I wish life sometimes had a little “ding” too…it might save me some oops. Let me explain.
A week or so ago I had a schedule that was just jam packed. I knew it was going to be busy. I knew it was going to be crazy but for some reason that didn’t stop me from eventually acting crazy. It all started on Monday…well, make that Sunday. Sunday for me is preach twice Sunday morning but this particular week we also had an evening service to prepare for a special event that was happening at our church…which was part of the crazy. I spent the afternoon getting Grits ready for that week and the next…so, add in a little more crazy. Now back to Monday. Monday, I had the privilege of officiating at the funeral service for a church member who happened to be a good friend too. Because of that it was especially emotionally draining for me. I felt the loss…we all did.
I returned to the office that afternoon and finished out the day and woke up early on Tuesday to speak on “The Baptist Hour,” a radio program that we sponsor on the first of every month. Then it was off to the office, preparing for the rest of the week. In the late afternoon, we packed our bags to attend a state meeting two and a half hours away. We arrived that night, slept and woke up to a twelve-hour day of conferences and meetings. It was just about then I should have been listening for the little warning chime because certainly it was going off.
Thursday morning began with more meetings before leaving for home. After driving for two and a half hours, we got back in time to serve at our outreach event. I was one of the speakers and we got to the church at about 5:00 pm and got home about 10:30 pm. Friday, the day I usually call my day off, was filled with more study and a return trip to the church for the event. Was that a “ding” I heard? Then Sunday…well, it was Sunday, and our first service begins at 8 am.
Now all of that wasn’t written to whine about a crazy week…it was to warn you that, chime, or no chime, when things get crazy…be careful you don’t. So, in the second service Sunday morning two things happened that were anything but usual. First, two young men in our young group, two young men I like and respect, decided to have a conversation while I was speaking. When I say “conversation,” I don’t mean whispering…I mean speaking loudly—loud enough for me to hear from the stage. Loud enough to distract me. Loud enough to mash my crazy button. The second crazy thing was, I stopped sharing and publicly told them it was my turn to speak…not their’s. Was their behavior out of line? Yes. Did they need to be corrected? Maybe…but not publicly. Trust me…that is something that I would certainly not normally do. In fact, I don’t think I have done so in forty years…at least not that I can remember, besides the Taylor girls.
Anyway, I fumbled through the rest of the message and as soon as I was done speaking, I went and apologized to them. And before I could get the words fully out, they apologized to me. They were wrong for talking and I was wrong in how I fixed it. The good news is the devil didn’t win the day, but he could have. Now the question is, “How did this happen?” And the answer is, at least on my side, I had allowed my tank to reach empty and you can’t run on empty without consequences. You can’t give and give without taking something in. I was sure I could do it all and found out…I couldn’t.
So, like the chime in my car, I needed something to let me know it was time to restock, to replenish. While God doesn’t give out chimes, He does give us His Spirit. I love a verse tucked away in Psalm 46:10. It says, “Be still and know I am God.” Be still…literally, “stop striving” and know that I am God. He wants to be our warning chime but to hear Him we must slow down and listen.
I shared a quote a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t personally apply it. It said, “Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is take a nap,” or maybe just get away. So, after church that Sunday, we did a little more crazy. We packed our bags and headed to New Orleans for a five day cruise. We were grateful for a time to physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually recover. This quiet time was a gift from God to us…a time to be still and know that He really is God. I hope this story will help you stop before you reach the tipping point. But if you do, if we do, at least we know, no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 