This week I attended the youth group at Fort Gatlin Alliance Church, my homechurch for the past 20 years. While I now attend First Alliance, I still enjoy going to youth group, seeing my younger friends and listening to Pastor Steve’s lessons. This week was a prayer focus, on being still before the Lord, quieting your mind and conversing with God (with emphasis on the listening part of conversation).

You remember the story of the exodus, how the Israelites were enslaved by Egypt, Moses came with power from God and convinced Pharoah to “let [His] people go,” they trecked into the wilderness, God opened the Red Sea destroying the pursuing Egyptian soldiers, and the Israelites began their trek to the promised land. As God led the Israelites through the wilderness, they would frequently stop and rest for a time. One such “rest stop” placed the millions of Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai, declared a holy mountain, while the presence of God rested on the peak as a thick cloud; any animal or living thing that touched the mountain was instantly killed, unless otherwise invited. One such invitation was extended to Moses. Can you just imagine, the millions of people surrounding the mountain, watching Moses walk up the mountain, disappearing into the thick cloud at the top, into the presence of God? The people were anxious indeed, as their leader was no longer…leading. The Bible records that Moses remained at the mountain for 40 days, communing and fellowshiping with God. Forty days people…that’s 20 plus 20, 100 minus 60, 4 times 10, 160 divided by 4, a four followed by a zero. Imagine yourself, with your busy schedule, walking up a mountain, and staying up there for 40 days. I know, you and Moses are different right? You’d be fired or fail your classes or get kicked out of your apartment, besides Moses just followed God right? Yeah He followed God, but any problem or disagreement that the millions of Israelites had came before Moses, so it’s not like he could just take a personal day; he had duties. He was effectively their pastor, their shepherd if you will. And yet he became still before God for 40 days. If Moses can do that, why can’t we? Jesus (a few thousand years after Moses) also spends 40 days in the desert, being still before His Father. If Jesus did that, shouldn’t we?

Now, please don’t go off the grid for 40 days; I’ll get worried that you’ve joined a terrorist cell or gone fishing in the Arctic ok? Thanks. What I am saying, is don’t hesitate to stop; make every moment available to God. Believe me, when He wants to talk, He’ll do it, but only if you’re listening and ready. Kind of like Santa Claus: He knows when you’re listening, and only talks when you’re ready. And don’t make your only quiet time your drive to work or school, or your run around the neighborhood, that’s simply selfish. Worshiping God while you are captive to a task should only supplement your main quiet time, not replace it. Let me spell out what I’m trying to type: when you’re driving, you can’t do anything else, and so your quiet time, instead of being dedicated and set aside to God, has become convenient and insincere to God. Instead of watching that TV show or movie or listening to that new music album, open the Bible or close your eyes, and place yourself in a private tutoring session with God. If you need to go somewhere to do that, do it! If you can’t drive yet, tell your parents you need to go to the park for your quiet time, and I’m sure they will be glad to drive you there. If not, call me, and I’ll make an effort to get you to your “secret garden.” Seriously.

I know we’re all busy; I’m writing this post at 2:56 in the morning people, cause I’ve got things I do during the day. God’s gifted me with the ability to survive partially on a few hours of sleep, and I’m thankful for that, otherwise this blog would not exist. But in the midst of your busyness, get busy with being still. Add one more thing to your list! Make it first. Wake up earlier, don’t eat lunch (you’ll make it to dinner I promise), or stop by a park on your way home; I don’t care what you do, just do it. Get busy! I promise, you will not become busier or feel like you’ve lost time, quite the opposite actually. You’ll have more energy, be more calm and controlled, able to handle the tasks and duties expected of you. Until I’m still, I feel weak, lifeless, useless. After I’m still, my body seems to jump into overdrive, and I begin to wonder why I would ever neglect being still. If you don’t believe me, I’ll be writing my testimony soon, which is a great witness to the truth of this post.

In case you’re still confused, here’s what I’m saying. Get still before God. Make a time where you stop everything and fall face down in reverance and awe, and just listen and worship God. You can supplement this time with excursions during your day, like walking to class or lunch, driving to work or school, or whenever, but make sure that’s not your only “still time.” Also, don’t rely on church to give you that time with God; church should be a supplement as well. Still don’t get it? Watch this video. Do that!

Love you guys. Get busy with being still.