Pause.

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 131

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8

Selah. The Hebrew word for … pause, a suspension of music.

From Biblehub:

“Its (the word selah) precise meaning has been the subject of much scholarly debate. Traditionally, it is thought to be a musical or liturgical notation, possibly indicating a pause in the singing or recitation of the psalm, allowing for contemplation or a musical interlude. This interpretation aligns with the structure of Hebrew poetry, where pauses and reflections are integral to the rhythm and understanding of the text. The use of סֶלָה may have served to emphasize the preceding words, inviting the listener or reader to ponder their significance deeply.”

Do you take the time in the morning to pause? Is your first action and thought towards Jesus? Do you seek His union with you? Can you just ‘hit the pause button’ and quietly focus on Jesus when you first open your eyes from sleep? Do you invite the Holy Spirit to flood you once again with His Presence? Can you offer Jesus the very first moments of your day?

Also being able to pause in the midst of your day – and refocus on Jesus could be the most important thing you do in that moment. To be able to calm yourself to quiet and just linger there and ‘listen’ … for Him. This is a discipline the Lord has me working on now in my life. To allow more of Him to guide me in the midst of my day.

One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is … peace. (Galatians 5:22-23) How do we practice that fruit? How do we consume that fruit? How do we allow that fruit to do it’s work in us? We must recognize it is HIS fruit, so we must allow Him to work it … through us. So I know I must be in union with Him for that fruit to be produced in me and through me.

Be intentional of resetting each day to be with Jesus. Each day will present its own challenges, wouldn’t it be best that they be met …with Jesus? Be determined to have Jesus at the center of your life, decisions, and work today.

Selah.

NOTE: I usually don’t promote things in this space … but one ‘tool’ that I’m currently exploring and using is the One Minute Pause app by John Eldredge. It has been a good tool for me to remind and reset myself of what really is important throughout my day.