Reflection and Inflection

"Will you lead me, beside the still waters
Where the oil, it runs over, and my cup overflows
You restore my soul "

(Caedmon's Call - Walk With Me)

While walking this evening, I stopped to take a picture of the trees reflected in the "rain-induced" pond at a nearby park.  What caught my attention (other than standing water in a veritable desert) was how perfect the reflection was.  I quickly realized why.  The standing water was completely still.  There wasn't so much as a ripple or falling leaf to disturb the mirror-perfect image.

That got me to thinking.  Okay, who am I kidding, I was already in a pensive mood but that got me to thinking specifically about a verse in the bible.  Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God."

As I walked the outskirts of the still water, I thought about the implication in my Christian walk.  Clearly, according to God's word, there is merit in being still - but I'm not sure I ever stopped to ask why.  It was as if God was saying to me, "Amy, when you're still, you are better able to reflect my image to others."

I thought about that for another lap or so.  Then my thoughts shifted slightly.  It will seem like a "jump" at first but just go with me here...

There's a fairly common drama warm-up I like to call "The Inflection Exercise".  The premise is simple.  Take one of your lines from the play and practice saying it over and over.  With each repetition, stress a different word in the sentence or sentences to see how it sounds or even changes the meaning.

Again, I went back to Psalm 46:10.

Be STILL and know that I am God.

Be still and KNOW that I am God.

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am GOD.

As I alluded to earlier, when I hear be still, I think, "Oh, that verse means I shouldn't be so busy that I can't just slow down and spend time with the Lord" (and properly reflect him).  But I came to the conclusion tonight that "busyness" isn't always my problem.  Sometimes my problem is that I forget who is God.  I grow impatient or start to doubt that The Almighty is on His throne.  I start trying to do and get and be for myself what HE longs to do and get and be for me.

Be still and know that I am God.

He is God and we are not.  Our role in this life is like that of the still pond.  We are to reflect Him and His glory.

When we do this, the conclusion of verse 10 shows us the result:

"I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."