raphah and yada.

today i ended up going to three church services- CLC in Hamilton, my church CCC, and Mosaic because La was singing. and it's amazing how God has linked this all together- all three sermons, although on different 'topics' were based around the same thing, and so i've heard the message God wants me to hear put in three different ways. i shouldn't just say 'hear' though, cause it's the message he wants me to understand, to truely know , to really have it abide in every part of my being, and to live out in all of Christs fullness. and God keeps bringing this one word to me- 'yada'. it's hebrew and can be translated as to perceive, understand, learn, recognize, believe, accept his claims, conform, be willing, obey, see, or experience. it's the word used in Psalm 46:10 when the Lord says "be still and know that i am God". that scripture has been on my mind a lot lately. i also like the hebrew translation for 'be still'. the word used is 'raphah'. which means to slacked, abate, cease, consume, draw, find, faint, be feeble, forsake, leave, let alone, be slack, stay, weaken. 

those two words have given new life, meaning and action to that verse for me.

to 'be still' doesn't in any way restrict the mobility of Gods people- but it requires us to cease what we are doing, surrender and in humility acknowledge that we are weak, and that God is our strength and power. and this leads us to 'know' him. which is much deeper than knowing about Him, or having a surface relationship with him. and it's in the context of practically, spiritually and emotionally rather than intellectually..if that makes sense. to truly understand God and his power, to the small extent that our brains can reach, we need to lay aside ourselves.

and that's never been an unknown concept to me, but my selfishness is limiting God's ability to reveal himself to me, and today has been a reminder about where it all needs to start from. i feel like i've been refreshed, and i'm really excited for what's coming up for me.

on another note; this is in a few weeks to raise money for Invisible Children. please come.