Be Still and Reflect
“Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us. Attention, all! See the marvels of God!” Psalm 46:7-8 (MSG)
Ice Breaker
Did you keep a diary as a child? Do you write in a journal now as an adult? If not, what keeps you from this practice? How might writing your thoughts down help you to reflect on your life and faith?
Reflection
In this vivid, poetic rendering, we’re invited not just to believe in God’s power—but to see it. The psalmist calls out, “Attention, all!” as if to say: stop what you’re doing, look up, and witness the divine fingerprints across creation and history.
The “Jacob-wrestling God” evokes a God who is not distant, but deeply engaged—willing to enter our struggles, wrestle with our doubts, and still fight for us. This is not a passive protector; this is a God who breaks weapons, bans war, and plants beauty in the aftermath.
If ever there was a man who clearly illustrates that God has chosen the foolish, the weak, the lowly, and the despised — it was Jacob. There was nothing winsome or attractive about Jacob. He was selfish, scheming, deceitful, treacherous, and untruthful—he was a most unlovely character. What was there in him to attract the love of God? Absolutely nothing!
By earthly standards, we would think that Esau, Jacob’s older, twin brother, was a more likely subject of God's favor. But God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways.
To “be still” in this context is not to disengage, but to pause long enough to recognize that God is already at work – loving us like he loved Jacob, and all the other unlikely characters we discover throughout the Bible. Stillness becomes a sacred act of trust—a way of saying, “I don’t need to fix everything. I need to see what God is doing.”
In a world of noise, conflict, and urgency, this passage invites us to reflect on the marvels of God: the peace He brings, the beauty He restores, and the chaos he overcomes on our behalf.
So, if the LORD of hosts is with us; and the God of Jacob is our refuge. Then, it is safe enough for us to be still and reflect on what God has done, is doing, and will do in the future for us. We can move forward with the psalmist who beckons us in verse 8 to come and “behold the marvels that God has done.”
When was the last time you were still long enough to deeply reflect on what the Lord has done in your life? Do you regularly stop and behold what the Lord has done in the world around you?
If you would like to be more centered, peaceful, focused, and assured of God’s presence in your life, I invite you to experiment with the Prayer of Examen as one tool to reflect on the meaning of your actions and choices each day.
May we learn to live the examined life so that we might also grow closer to Jesus and become more like him as an active contemplative in the world. To God be the glory! Amen.
Wrestling with the Word
Read Psalm 46:7-10 (MSG)
- What does it mean to you that “The Lord Almighty is with us” in moments of unrest or uncertainty?
- How do you reconcile the imagery of desolation and peace in this passage?
- What might God be asking you to “come and see” in your own life right now?
Next Steps
- Where in your life do you need to “be still” and let God be your fortress, your refuge, your Sanctuary?
- What practices help you reflect on God’s presence during busy or anxious seasons?
- How can you create space for others to experience stillness and reflection in your community?
Closing Prayer
Holy and Mighty God, In the noise of our lives and the unrest of our world, teach us to be still. Help us to trust that You are with us—that You are our place of peace, our strength, our refuge in times of trouble. Open our eyes to see Your works, even in places of desolation. May our hearts find rest in Your presence, and may we reflect Your peace to those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.