Be Still
Bible Reading: Psalm 46:1-11
Author: Gina Matthews (Hampshire, England)
Author: Gina Matthews (Hampshire, England)
Monday 4 May 2026 © The Upper Room.
Working in a small cottage hospital I see and hear many things.
Most of those who come in for care are elderly. Some of our patients are with us because of a fall. Some come to us for help with chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s. During visiting hours one afternoon I observed a patient’s daughter sitting with her mother face-to-face next to her bed.
No word was spoken throughout their time together, yet it did not seem at all awkward. I assumed that they had shared so much of each other’s lives over so many years that they could sit there in silence, comfortably safe and content in each other’s company.
This scene made me think of how I fill my life and prayers with unnecessary words and often miss the opportunity simply to be in God’s presence.
As I watched that mother and daughter sit together, Psalm 46:10 spoke to me clearly: ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth’ (NIV).
Prayer: We praise you, dear Lord, for your constant presence. Help us to quiet our lives and understand the awesome beauty of spending time in your presence. Amen
