This one must have come from deep inside, and maybe that’s why there’s not much shared about how it arose. Reuben Morgan just felt the need to be “Still”, early in this century (around 2002), and so that’s what he said to God about his own demeanor. He implicitly trusted God’s character and ability, and his own effort in the relationship was just that one word – Still. Perhaps Reuben was just taking a page from the psalmists’ playbooks (Psalm 37:7; 46:10; and 91:4), and reaffirmed by God Himself (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34), a posture that one takes when in need of a most certain protection. What else can one do when troubled by things visible, or maybe afraid of things that cannot even be seen or comprehended? Was it possible that Reuben had heard others who were in a state of anxiety, and that that was distressing his innards, too? Reuben knew where to turn.
Reuben Morgan was a 27-year-old songwriter with the Hillsong church in Sydney, Australia (in the state of New South Wales, on the nation’s southeast coast; see image here) when he wrote ‘Still’. For any person, living in a city of five million-plus people would just by itself be enough to generate stress – all those people, cars, etc., compressed together in a dense-pack condition. Even among the members of a healthy Christian church environment, the rhythms of 21st Century life can be overwhelming at times. Was there a health, relationship, or financial struggle in progress that occupied Reuben’s thoughts? Perhaps all of the above, or something else was the spur for Reuben’s turn to scripture, evident in the few lyrics that he crafted to tackle what was taxing his being. David (Ps.37), a Korahite (Ps.46), and an anonymous poet-songwriter (Ps.91) all turned to their Creator-Protector with words that Reuben borrowed some three millennia later, demonstrating that you and I still need Him as much as ever. I am safe ‘under his wings’ (v.1 of Reuben’s song), and I can rest, being ‘still’ in his shadow, knowing He is God (Reuben’s chorus; Ps.37 and 46). Perhaps it was Jesus’ plaintive response to doubters (Pharisees and other teachers) in His earthly ministry that got Reuben’s attention. He longs to guard and reassure those He created, as a hen protects little chicks (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34). There’s a ‘storm’ and a ‘flood’ that Rueben felt he could endure, because God has a ‘mighty hand’, something that Reuben and the rest of us can read regarding how He rescued people from slavery (nine times in Exodus --chapters 3,6,7,1314,32; and equally in Deuteronomy – chapters 3,4,5,6,7,9,11,26). And, what about being ‘in Christ’ (Reuben’s v.2)? Could Reuben have done a word search like you and I can today, finding that powerful two-word phrase some 90 times in the New Testament? If he did, there’s a lot there to gird one’s faith, to make one’s courage grow because of being in Him.
It seems like knowing that I’m in Christ is the key to that rest, the stillness that He has for me. Reuben also evidently settled on that rock, the foundation for a sigh of relief and contentment, a ‘rest (for) my soul’ (v.2). And yet, that doesn’t tell the storms, floods, rising oceans, and thunders to go away. So, true confession time, I admit I still feel stress and the tedium of my existence pretty much every day, sometimes more intensely than other days. Stuff happens and has to be managed, so there’s no getting away from it, is there? How about finding a way through it? Find your way through it, as Jesus did. He prayed constantly, angels came and ministered to Him (Matthew 4:11), and He shared Himself with earthly companions. He’s our model, for how to be still.
See here for information on the songwriter: Reuben Morgan - Wikipedia
See here for information about the image of New South Wales flag: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_New_South_Wales.svg ; This image or other work is of Australian origin and is now in the public domain because its term of copyright has expired.
See here for information about Australia’s largest city: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney
