Sabbath Devotional :: Three Words

Photo by Linda Hoffman Kimball: winter trees in Heber Valley

My husband Chris (a wise man, as opposed to a wise guy) directed my attention today to the transcendent scripture Psalm 46:10 (KJV): “Be still, and know that I am God.”

If you transliterate that into Hebrew you get these three words:

raphah yada’ ‘elohiym

These are the meanings of those words:

raphah: to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, withdraw

yada’: to know, learn to know, perceive, find out, discriminate, distinguish, know by experience, recognize, admit, acknowledge

‘elohiym: gods, The God, judge, goddess, divine one, godly, great

If ever there were a need for me to ruminate on this scripture and its rich, holy and layered meanings, it is now at the launching of this new year.

So far (and we’re still in the single digits of January), 2018 has brought us the sad but honorable passing of President Thomas S. Monson with the imminent restructuring of the First Presidency; heightened nuclear anxiety with North Korea; fire and fury (to borrow a phrase) from the White House, insecurity about our health care plans and our tax obligations, and for many of us terrible weather and the flu.

I remember the sobering words of Melissa Dalton Bradford’s December 16 Sabbath Devotional (which I recommend you read again for its depth and vision). They ring as true this month as they did last:

“[A]ngels sang hovering over a land heaving with political and racial tension, ruled by a degenerate despot, choked by. . . oppression, crowded in on all sides by competing foreign powers — a land, which in just one generation would collapse under revolt, its temple razed to the ground.”

Melissa wondered how angels could sing out “Peace!” and “Good will!” in such an environment.

Similarly, I ask, “Be still? Really? In this chaos?!”

God means these words of the Psalmist as much as the words of the angels’ chorus. “Be still, and know that I am God.” God once again is proven by Divine paradox.

The meek and lowly lamb is now the Great I Am, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.

We who want to follow Christ must deny ourselves, take up Christ’s cross and follow Him.

The last shall be first and the first shall be last.

What kind of God requires these somersaults of the soul?

One who calls us to let go, sink down, relax, withdraw from the assaults of our day, let go of our burdens in the midst of our tumultuous times and allow the Divine One to support and buoy us.

One who pleads with us to perceive and distinguish the Consolation of Deity — more potent than any fractious earthly cacophony. One who is eager for us to know by experience what it is to commune with God. One who coaxes us to acknowledge and admit that the fray of this world is no match for a life guided by the Prince of Peace.

One who is great, all-encompassing, wise, perceptive — Divine. One who calls out in times of chaos and confusion:

“If ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, [they] will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.” 3 Nephi 9:14.

So much comfort, so much hope, so much Life in those three words.

Blessed Sabbath to you, sisters. Thank you for walking this path with me.