Be Still, and Know That I Am God

"Be still, and know that I am God." It's a zen-like call to let your heart be a place of peace in the midst of difficulties. Rather than an exhortation to abandon action, it's an invitation to witness the glory of God with an untroubled heart. The idea reminds me of the existential calm of Juliette Binoche's character Julie in the film Blue after she learns of the infidelity of her recently deceased husband. With a gentle resolve she moves into the next chapter of her life. The pool scene in particular works as a symbol of her transformation; as she quietly moves through the resistance of the water, buoyed by grace and skill, the idea of a womb or a baptism comes to mind with connotations of rebirth or renewal. Psalm 46:10 is a call to this kind of existential calm while offering an escape from the theater of the absurd. Be still, and know that I am God. The only question is can we be still.