Anyone who has children and has tried to capture a picture of them, knows how hard it is to get a good one. They are doing something adorably cute, you grab your camera, and then before you click the shutter, they are off to the next thing. (Usually something not adorably cute.) My oldest daughter was a particularly hard case. If she saw me with a camera in hand, she would immediately drop what she was doing and turn into a diva. Arms would flail, twirling was involved, and she would flip her hair in a way that reminded me of horses swatting off flies. She needed an instruction label, "instant ham, just add camera." Every photo I tried to capture of her, came out in a blur of arms, legs and horse tails.
Don't even get me started on the Christmas card photo! Corralling five small children and two dogs into one area is like herding cats into a bathtub. One of them is touching someone. "Be still," I say. One burps. "Be still!" They all bust out in laughter over said burp. "Be Still." Someone steps on the dog's tail. "BE STILL!." One starts crying over being reprimanded with my last stern, BE STILL" So I say in my sweet high pitched sing- songy snow white voice, (totally through clenched teeth), "It's okay, just smile for the picture." Snap - Click! A photo is born. It's great! It's just that someone has a grumpy face with tear stains running down their cheeks, and one of them is lunging toward the dog that's trying to flee, and one is pushing someone on top of the baby who has her blanket over her head. And it doesn't get any better as they grow up... And I mean into adults! It takes me twenty minutes to herd them all to the same location in the backyard. After plenty of horsing around and a long debate over who is taller, I'm still saying in my pretend authoritative voice, "BE STILL!" This only makes them laugh more. Snap - Click. There are two sets of bunny ears, one person jumping on someones back, one person laughing so hard I can see his tonsils, and the dog has now gotten in the picture because he thinks there's playing involved. My throat hurts from yelling, "BE STILL" over all the commotion. Well at least no one is crying. Well, except me....a little.
Whenever I see or hear the bible verse, "Be still and know that I am God", I always conjure up this image of trying to take a picture of my children. It makes me wonder, is this how God feels when he is trying to get MY attention? I cry out my pleas to God, meanwhile I'm busy. I'm running around spinning my plates, frantically looking for God's plan for me. I'm waving my arms and crying loud sobs, "God can you hear me? Are you listening to me? Why haven't you answered me?" And God is saying, "Be still. I'm trying to transform you in my image, but you wont sit still and so everything is a blur." And so I finally get it. This tired mom with five wild kids. I think of the photo sessions, all the distractions and I get it. FINALLY!
If I want to get a clear picture of God's desire for my life, than I need to "Be Still". God speaks in a still small voice and if I want to capture it, I need to not be distracted doing everything else. "Be still and know that I am God". Psalm 46:10 We find God in the stillness, when our focus is fine tuned into him. And when we do, we will find a beautiful picture develop.