Prelate’s Chapel

Prelate’s Apartment

by Reverend Arthur F. Hebbeler, III, right eminent grand prelate of the Grand Encampment “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

Sometimes, we need to be reminded that being still, being quiet, and doing nothing is OK. The Psalmist brings us that message in the well-known Psalm (Martin Luther paraphrased it for his famous hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God). In times of turmoil, such as we have been experiencing for months now with the coronavirus, it is hard to be still, but that is exactly what God encourages us to do in this text.

This Psalm declares that the refuge of the people is not a building, cave, or mountaintop but God Himself. It is in God, and not man-made structures, in which the Hebrew people place their trust (Hmm; that sounds familiar….). God will protect, defend, and care for His chosen people. In exchange, He will be praised and exalted by all people throughout the world. By His actions and the response of His chosen people, the world will come to know that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph is to be worshipped, praised, and most of all, trusted.

Trust God to do what He has promised. Trust God to provide that which He has said he will provide. Sit down, be quiet, be patient, pay attention, and remember that God is indeed your God. He’s got this and everything else. Don’t panic, as Douglas Adams wrote. God wants us to be calm and let Him do what He does best—protect His people. For a “type A” personality, as more than a few of us are, that can be a huge challenge.

Being still is what we have had to be during the last several months. We have been working from home, or worse, not working from home. We have been lucky if we crossed paths with a friend or a frater while making a quick stop in the grocery store. We have spent years being active, but now we are called to be still and do nothing. That is a challenge.

Dear friends and brothers, we will get through this, just as we have survived a heck of a lot worse. We will look back on this experience and consider the good, the bad, and the foolish things that have happened. We will lament the lives lost and the farewells not shared because of our separation. We will celebrate the things we learned because we had time to be still and leave things in God’s hands. Stay positive. Stay engaged with one another. Most importantly, be still. Let God be God, and when we are together again, let us exalt Him and praise his holy Name. 6 september 2020