Psalm 46:10a:
- Be still and know that I am God (NIV, ESV, NLT, RSV)
- Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God (AMP)
- Calm down and learn that I am God! (CEV)
- Stop fighting … and know that I am God (GNT)
- Stand silent! Know that I am God! (TLB)
- Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at Me, Your High God (MSG)
- Stop striving [let go, relax] and know that I am God (NASB)
We live in a time where we are told to …
Go with certain crowds.
Do with certain goals.
Be with certain expectations.
Or there is nothing valuable or worthy about us.
With such outcomes pressing us and pressuring us …
With such outlooks twisting and turning us …
With such opinions suggesting “did God really say” (Genesis 3:1 NIV) …
How often are we willing to …
Be our authentic selves?
Trust God with all we are?
Work with God to be the best versions of ourselves?
But more importantly, how often are we willing to …
Give up our will?
Let go of our ways?
Forsake our wants?
How often are we willing to râphâh (raw-faw’) [1]?
Cease.
Forsake.
Idle.
Let alone.
Stay.
Relax.
Let drop.
Let go.
Withdraw.
Be quiet.
How willing are we to …
Stop and turn to God?
Still and trust in God?
Stay and tune into God?
We think if we râphâh (raw-faw’), things will become …
Difficult.
Disastrous.
Undignified.
Will hard things really get harder or difficult things get worse because we take time …
To take care of ourselves?
To refresh our minds?
To restore our bodies?
To rejuvenate our spirit?
To revive our heart?
To recharge our faith?
We forget how easily we burn out when we keep going and going and going and going.
Without stopping.
Trying to control.
Trying to keep up.
Trying to survive.
All striving and no resting leads to …
Stress.
Anxiety.
Worry.
Tension.
Burden.
Strain.
Hassle.
So, God invites us to râphâh (raw-faw’) with Him.
To rest in who He is.
To relax in His grace.
To refresh in His love.
Because only in God can we yâdaʻ (yaw-dah’) – know, acknowledge, be aware of, comprehend, distinguish, consider, declare, discern, discover, recognize, perceive, show, be sure, understand, confess [2] – what is …
True.
Noble.
Right.
Pure.
Lovely.
Admirable.
Excellent.
Praiseworthy [3].
Am I pausing so I can know who God is?
Am I stopping to consider what God expects?
Am I making space for ʼĕlôhîym (el-o-heem’) – the supreme God [4]?
He is waiting for me to come to Him.
Waiting for me to râphâh (raw-faw’) everything I am trying to control and let Him be God.
I cannot yâdaʻ (yaw-dah’) Him for He is if …
I will not let go of what I think is right or necessary.
I try to control everything.
I will not even try to be who He created me to be.
I cannot discern His good from my opinions if I will not stop.
I cannot distinguish His grace in my grudges if I will not slow down.
I cannot discover His generosity in my stubbornness if I will not be still.
“Be still” is God’s invitation.
To let go and consider if I am walking in/toward God’s best.
To be sure I am not trying to control what is God’s place to create and maintain.
To recognize I can do nothing successfully in my own strength and by my own opinions.
To allow God to be our safe place of refuge and protection.
“Be still” reminds us that we need to turn to God and allow Him to set the boundaries that are best for us.
“Be still” from works and lean into God’s purposes.
Trust what He is doing in you, for you, and through you.
Flow in His ways and find what is best.
Râphâh (raw-faw’).
Let go.
And see where God leads you.
[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H7503 – rāp̄â”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7503/kjv/wlc/0-1/
[2] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H3045 – yāḏaʿ”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3045/kjv/wlc/0-1/
[3] Philippians 4:8, NIV
[4] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H430 – ‘ĕlōhîm”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h430/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Marie Fremin. 11/27/21, 3/3/24
Marie's Hope 