Let Down | Making Room

Scripture Focus: Psalm 46:10

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10, NIV)

Be still. Those are two simple words that feel almost impossible during the Christmas season. How can we be still when there's so much to do? 

But maybe that's exactly why we need to hear these words right now. Because in the middle of all our Christmas chaos, God is inviting us to be still and to know that he is God.

There's something we lose when we're constantly busy. We lose the ability to wonder. We lose the ability to see the miraculous in the ordinary. We lose the ability to recognize the sacred moments happening all around us.

Think about children at Christmas. They still have wonder. They can stare at Christmas lights for what feels like forever, mesmerized by the colors and patterns. They can listen to the Christmas story like it's the first time they've ever heard it, even if they've heard it a hundred times before. They can be completely captivated by the idea that God became a baby and was born in a stable.

But we've lost that. We've heard the story so many times that it doesn't move us anymore. We've seen so many Christmas lights that we barely notice them. We rush past the nativity scenes without giving them a second glance. Because we're too busy. And busyness is the enemy of wonder. 

But what if we slowed down enough to let the wonder back in? What if we actually stopped long enough to think about what Christmas means? God – the creator of the universe, the one who spoke the stars into existence – became a baby. He entered our world. He became one of us. Not because he had to, but because he loves us.

That's...wonderful, literally. It’s full of wonder. But we miss it when we're too busy to pay attention.

Psalm 46:10 tells us to "be still and know that I am God." Not be busy and know that I am God. Not accomplish a million things and know that I am God. Be still. Stop. Rest. Be quiet. And in that stillness, know who God is.

Because here's the truth...we can't really know God when we're constantly in motion. We can't experience his presence when we're always thinking about the next thing on our to-do list. We can't hear his voice when our minds are cluttered with a thousand different concerns.

Knowing God requires us to be still. So we have to make room for God.

So as we close out this first week of Advent, I want to challenge you to create some space for stillness. Not because you've finished everything on your to-do list – you probably haven't, and you probably won't. But because knowing God is more important than any task you have waiting for you.

Maybe it's fifteen minutes in the morning before everyone else wakes up. Maybe it's a few minutes in your car before you walk into your house after work. Maybe it's late at night after everyone else has gone to bed. But find some time, even just a little time, to be still.

And in that stillness, let yourself wonder again. Wonder at the mystery of the incarnation. Wonder at the love of God that would move him to become one of us. Wonder at the fact that the God of the universe knows your name and cares about every detail of your life.

Because that's what Christmas is really about. Not the presents or the parties or the perfect decorations. It's about a God who loves us so much that he entered our world. And that's worth slowing down for. That's worth being still for. That's worth making room for.

Reflection Questions:

• When was the last time you felt a sense of wonder about God or about Christmas?

• What keeps you from being still? What would need to change to create space for stillness?

• How might your Christmas season be different if you prioritized time to be still with God?

Prayer: Father, we've forgotten how to be still. We've forgotten how to wonder. Forgive us for being so busy that we miss the miracle of your love. This week, help us to create space for stillness. Help us to slow down enough to really see you, to really know you. Restore our sense of wonder at the incredible truth that you became one of us. Help us to know that you are God, and that nothing on our to-do list is more important than spending time with you. Fill our stillness with your presence. Amen.