Selah: A Meaningful Pause

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; for you are my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me abide in your tent forever, find refuge under the shelter of your wings. Selah

     - Psalm 64:1-4

When we bought our new house and property about a year ago, we imagined that it might become a place of rest, renewal, and hospitality for our family, friends, and neighbors.

Little did we know how much we would need such a place ourselves!

At the end of many Psalms (or stanzas of Psalms), the word Selah punctuates a thought. The Selah invites the reader to intentionally pause, considering what has already been before moving on to what comes next.

The Selah invites us to engage in a meaningful pause.

The last year has been a time of transition - ending a long and significant church ministry job, living third-floor apartment life with three kids and a dog, purchasing and renovating our new home, enrolling our oldest child in middle school and our youngest in Kindergarten, and beginning a new ministry adventure.

This place - our house and the surrounding property - have become our Selah. We have found here a meaningful pause, a chance to intentionally be still, considering what has been before moving on to what comes next.

What we have discovered is that God knows how to lead God’s people through transition. In difficult moments, in moments of uncertainty, in moments of growth and celebration, in moments of hesitation, in moments of pain - God has been with us.

On some days, we have sought out a still place to rest and listen, to intentionally pause. On other days, we have seemed to be in a holding pattern completely beyond our control. When we are in transition, when we are in-between, when we are in the wilderness, God is present with us, shaping us into the people God wants us to be.

The reality is: We are all in transition times. We all live in-between. We live in the “already” and long for the “not-yet.” We can all feel overwhelmed, anxious, stressed out, exhausted, confused, hopeless. We can all lose perspective on life. We can all miss the God-sightings that are happening around us.

And God invites us to intentionally pause, to consider what has been and to anticipate what is to come. We are invited to Selah.

Can you hear God say to you:
“Be still and know that I am God.”
“Rest.”
“Listen.”
“Be.”

“Selah.”

It has been quite a year! We are grateful for all of it! We are most grateful for God’s presence in the midst of all of it!

This place has certainly become a place of rest, renewal, and hospitality for our family already. And we hope that we can share our Selah-place with you, our friends and neighbors!

Know that you are welcome here - in our lives and at 1486 Falls Road! We’d love to see you and (re)connect with you! Most of all, we’d love to answer God’s invitation alongside you - to be still and know…

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
         - Psalm 46:10-11