By Abbey Adcox
Sometimes our arrival in worship is gradual. Our bodies may be present, but our attention lags behind. Slowly, our minds settle into stillness, grounding us where we are.
In today’s choral anthem we will hear these words from Psalm 46: “Be still and know that I am God.” In Scripture, those words appear amid upheaval, not tranquility. The psalm speaks of roaring waters and shaking mountains before it speaks of stillness. The invitation to be still is not about avoiding life’s demands, but a reminder to loosen our grip and stop striving. We are reminded that the world does not ultimately rest in our hands.
Yet stillness is something we must learn. The world’s noise, life’s pace and our burdens scatter our attention. In this way, stillness becomes the doorway to awareness — turning our attention toward what is here and toward the God who meets us.
Philosopher Simone Weil wrote that attention may be the purest form of prayer. It is not simply a skill. To her, attention was a moral and spiritual practice. By stepping outside ourselves, resisting distraction and truly noticing the world and people before us, we approach her ideal. Practicing attention shapes how we respond to others — especially those who are suffering.
Rushing, multitasking and persistent productivity undermine deep attentiveness. Life instills the urge to move quickly. Accomplish the next task. Keep going. Attention asks something else — patience, humility and slowing down to truly see what is before us.
In worship, together, we practice this attention. Especially with the demands of daily living, worship anchors us, centering us in God’s presence and the surrounding community.
As we move through Lent, our theme invites us to become rooted again. This is a time to remember who we are and whose we are. Stillness helps those roots grow, and so does attention. When we slow down and notice God’s presence, we remember the deeper ground that holds us.
And so, sometimes in the still moments of worship, we find our attention has finally caught up with where we are. Suddenly, we realize, we have arrived in the presence of God.
May it be so.