When asked, “how are you?”. Often our answer is, “good, how are you?”. But the truth is that we’re not well, for some reason. The oil needs changed in our vehicle. The deck needs fixed. Taxes are due. A friend, relative or you have a health issue. It’s common for our response to these things needing attention is to get them done and move on. Why? Because our lives are driven by “hurry”.
Here’s a thought. Slow down. During your next quiet time plan to study only one verse, perhaps part of a verse. There are some websites, such as www.BlueLetterBible.org, that offer some valuable study capabilities. I use the mobile app, Olive Tree. After downloading a Bible with Strong’s numbers I can tap on the word to learn the Hebrew or Greek meaning.
Psalms 46:10 tells us “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (NKJV)
What if we only look at Psalm 46:10a, the first portion of the verse? “Be still, and know that I am God”. Are you aware that some translations render “Be still” as: “Cease striving” (NASB), “Stop your fighting” (HCSB). Did you also know that the word “stop”, râp̱â in Hebrew, means to relax, sink down.
The word “know”, yâḏa‘ in Hebrew, means to become acquainted with, to discover. It also includes the component of knowing by experience. Not just head knowledge, experiential knowledge.
Slowing down enough to learn the definition of two words can transform our lives. Slow down and read.
“Be still and know that I am God.”