Hush, Be Still, and Know

A Silent Marsh View

March 2011

Psalm 46:10 NIV

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Current events in Japan, where they have had one disaster on top of another, have led to some interesting sidebar discussions among my high school students. In addition to the usual gossip about the approaching prom and graduation activities, I overheard my seniors discussing religion and the state of their souls today.

As a means to spark discussions about the world the seniors will soon enter, I have been showing current events news clips to them for the past month before we dive into our lessons. Several of my seniors have already signed with recruiters for military service while others have plans to enter college or the workforce.

So each day, we watch ten minutes of a student news program on a variety of national and international current events and examine the issues discussed on the program.

We have learned about collective bargaining issues in Wisconsin, school closures in Detroit, President Mubark's overthrow in Egypt, the Civil War in Libya, and now, the overwhelming destruction of Japan through earthquake, tsunami, and the threat of nuclear contamination.

However, of all stories we examined the past month, none have impacted them as much as the tragedy in Japan. They were horrified to see images of devastation left in the wake of the tsunami's waves. They were stunned at the sight of the nuclear power plant billowing smoke. 

One panicky class began to quote "end times" to me. I  reminded them we exist on a living, breathing planet. It's natural for earthquakes and tsunamis to occur.

The tragedy is we build too close to shorelines or our buildings can't withstand such powerful quakes as hit Japan.

However, I wish I could say to my worried teens, "Hush. Listen. Do you hear it?"

And in the semi-somnolence of their breaths, I would whisper the verse: "Be still, and know I am God."

He is in control. He is in control. He is in control.

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Amen, Lord, and Amen.