6 Comments

Love this--love all those various meanings for "still." A great word.

Expand full comment
author
Jan 9Author

Isn't it? The more I think about it, the more it quietly unfurls.

Expand full comment
Jan 9Liked by Jenn

Amen, That's a good word. Thank you for writing about it as God is using it to help me process my own thoughts about the Men's prayer group I facilitate on Tuesday mornings. Change is inevitable, it is one of the things we can count on actually. From weather, to jobs to relationships. God's word does not change and the character of God is unchanging (Hebrews) Stillness for me has become an important part of my time with God. I find it funny(ironically) how even in stillness its like there are different levels of stillness. I find stillness isn't nearly as effective if it isn't also quiet. Our church is in a 21 day fast, the focus is to draw near to God / to go deeper in our relationship with Him. In my stillness I realize that means different things to different people. Knowing God, the scripture says being still is a requisite ...I end up on a rabbit trail though, what is knowing God, I know about God, my understanding of Him is largely shaped by His word and the observation of His creation. But, would I know Him if He passed me on the street? I can't tell you His favorite color or complete His sentence if He was speaking to me...see rabbit trail, still the rabbit trail starts because of this word Still. I will follow Him ...still, because my foundation is built on what I know about Him ...meanwhile I will stay on this pilgrimage to knowing Him.

Expand full comment
author
Jan 9Author

I love this. And so happy to know this post is helping with some processing (even if it's a rabbit trail--maybe some rabbit trails are helpful). When you talked about how "going deeper with God" means different things to different people, I thought how true that is! And it is probably related to how long one has been traveling with God, too. It reminded me of The Walk Course.

Expand full comment
Jan 9Liked by Jenn

This reminded me immediately of a saying that's always intrigued me from the Gospel of Thomas (I know it's apocryphal, don't @ me): "If they say to you: Who are you?, say: We are his sons, and we are the elect of the living Father. If they ask you: What is the sign of your Father in you?, say to them: It is movement and rest."

Expand full comment
author
Jan 9Author

Oh! What an interesting quote!

You know *I* won't @ you, but I can't speak for anyone else on this app. haha. Although I've never heard any quotes from the NT apocryphal books that I've liked as much as this one.

Expand full comment