Be Still…

One of my favorite hymns is on my mind and in my heart today.  In part, I believe it came to mind following a very good weekend retreat that I facilitated.  Whether it was walking through the woods at Dogwood Acres with my camera, splitting wood with some of the fellows as we stacked firewood for the coming season of campers, or simply sitting on the front porch of the cabin; I had some incredible “God” moments in the stillness of that place. “Be Still and Know That I Am God” is one of those classics that has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  Many variations on Psalm 46:10 have been written throughout the years.  I “Googled” the title and was indeed amazed by how many different songs have been written by various people.  The words of the classic hymn are simple, yet incredibly profound if you take some time to meditate on them:

Be still and know that I am God,
be still and know that I am God,
be still and know that I am God.

I am the Lord that healeth thee,
I am the Lord that healeth thee,
I am the Lord that healeth thee.

In thee, O Lord, I put my trust,
In thee, O Lord, I put my trust,
In thee, O Lord, I put my trust.

I was reminded today of a place where I used to go on occasion for renewal and a place to simply be.  When I was stationed at Royal Air Force Station Mildenhall in England, life was quite often frantic.  The pace of operations kept me busy.  If I wasn’t busy being the Wing Chaplain (senior ranking Chaplain on the base), overseeing all chapel operations and providing pastoral care to base personnel; I was busy working with base senior leadership on various concerns, issues and plans.  On top of that, I traveled around Europe to various installations as a part of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Command Inspector General’s Inspection team.  Somewhere in the mix, I deployed for over four months in support of the ongoing war effort.  And that didn’t even take into account being a husband and the father of a high school wrestler and soccer player.  Yes, life was very busy and the pace could sometimes be rather overwhelming.

That pace was what made moments when I could slip away from RAF Mildenhall for a few hours and lose myself in nearby Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England so special.  It was wonderful to be able to wander around the beautiful gardens in the Abbey ruins and imagine the monastic life that would have been such a part of that landscape before Henry VIII and his forces “dissolved” the monasteries.  Even though the abbey was in ruins, enough of it remained for your imagination to run.  The above picture was taken during one of my afternoon “mini-retreats” from the base.  The ruins of the East Water Gate of the former Abbey was across the street from a favorite pub of mine, The Fox.

And even in the ruins of the Abbey, you could still sense the quite stillness of a place hallowed by hundreds of years of prayer.  I would visit the gardens, sit in the tea room and have a cup of good English Tea, and sometimes have a pint of my favorite (besides Guinness) brew, Greene King’s Abbott Ale at The Fox.  And no matter what had been going on in the Air Force or with my duties, I would always return from Bury St Edmunds renewed and with a sense of peace in my heart.

During the last two years of my Air Force career I often found myself walking along the Gulf of Mexico on Navarre Beach in Florida (pictured above).  These were times of reflection, wondering, and talking (sometimes crying out) to God.  I found myself on the Emerald Coast a lot listening to the waves crash onto the shores, looking for shells… and answers.  Somehow, I had lost touch with that stillness in my own soul.  For a time there, silence or being still was a scary place for me to be in my mind’s eye.  yet somehow, I regained my spiritual rooting with the water (my call to ministry had been received on the banks of the Chippewa River in Eau Claire, Wisconsin) and on the shores, I began to hear God’s call once more.  Even  now, I can look out the window of my office at Lake DeFuniak and be reminded of the call to be still and know.

During this Lenten season, one of the things I have encouraged members of the church to do is take some time for quietness and prayer.  The Men of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Pensacola did just that this past weekend during their retreat at Dogwood Acres Camp & Conference Center outside of Vernon, Florida.  In the beauty of God’s creation, they were able to slow down and simply be in God’s presence.  I was honored to be with them and to experience that time of quiet and solitude.

Sometimes we have to slow down our life’s pace… Sometimes we have to quiet the “monkey brain” chatter that goes on in our heart and our head… Sometimes we have to intentionally be still in order to know and to hear God’s voice and God’s call in our lives.  That is my prayer for you, dear reader.  That you will either take the time or make the time to be still and simply be in the presence of God.  Hear God’s call… Feel God’s love… Receive God’s renewal… Be blessed and know that you are God’s beloved!