February 1, 2005


MY QUEST

The New Year is always a time for me to take a personal and spiritual 
inventory.  However, tis article is neither the time nor the place to 
discuss the results of that inventory in detail.  But normally I would 
than proceed with appropriate “Resolutions”, but I’ve been led to change 
my focus this time.  Rather than make a list of things to “do” (or 
probably eventually fail to “do”), I’ve determined to set out on a “Quest” 
– a journey, if you will, to a new place – or at least a place I’ve 
never really reached in any measure of fullness.

What really prompted this new focus was again coming across the verse, 
Ps 46:10, “Be still [quiet] and know that I am God.”  Though that is 
certainly not a new verse to me and even one that I have studied and 
meditated on many times in the past, this time it suddenly took on a whole 
new dimension.  Let me try and share my thoughts here.

I know God is always more interested in what I “am” than in what I 
“do”.  For if I’m being the person God wants me to be, I’ll do the things 
that please Him.   Conversely, I can never do anything to honor Him if 
my heart is not being what He wants it to be.  So with that 
understanding firmly instilled in my head and my heart, I looked at that verse 
again and saw that He is telling me once again to “be” something – in this 
case “still or quiet”, in order for Him to reveal Himself to me.  My 
“doing” the understanding of who He is and allowing that knowledge to 
forever change my character, my relationships and my behavior, is not 
dependent on His doing something – or even me doing something – but rather 
on my “being” still.  If I want to know God better; to understand His 
ways; perceive His plan for my life; and all of the other things 
involved in “knowing that He is God”, then my Quest is easy … just be still!

Easy to say – hard to do.  I tried for a long time last night to just 
be still – several things kept happening – first, I started to pray – a 
good thing but not when I’m suppose to be still; second, my mind 
drifted off to memories of the past or plans for the future; and then 
finally, worse of all, I fell asleep!  So much for being still and knowing God 
last night!  See why this is going to be a challenge to keep me 
occupied for a long time?

I came to the hard realization that I don’t really know how to just be 
still before God.  We’re back to basics again: when God gives us a 
command in his Word, He is always faithful to enable us to successfully be 
able to obey that command.  Well, really simply, God is going to have 
to teach me how to be still – so that I can truly know He is God.  What 
a thrilling and exciting spiritual Quest I have begun. To know Him 
better has been my goal since I was young, but this year I’m certain God is 
wanting to bring me to new places in Him, with new understanding and 
new commitments to be what He wants me to me, so I can do what He wants 
me to do.

That’s my Quest – care to join me?


Until next time … love and prayers, 

RuthAnn Gleason, the Parson's Wife
ragleason@sbcglobal.net