Our God says, “Calm down,
and learn that I am God!
All nations on earth
will honor me.” (Psalm 46:10)
For routine, day-to-day, scripture readings, I go to several reliable sources. While I do jump into the Bible “freestyle” on a regular basis, I am always anchored by the following regular disciplines:
- The Upper Room daily devotional guide.
- Bible Gateway (they feature a “verse of the day”).
- Readings for my “Everyday Christianity” study group (this week it’s First Timothy).
- Bible readings that go with Rebekah and Tim’s sermons every Sunday morning.
There’s more, of course, as the above readings typically turn out to be a “jumping off place,” and motivate me to go deeper. Today, I’m jumping off into Psalm 46, but more as a repetitive exercise than a branching out.
You see, I was captured by the Contemporary English Version translation (above), and – in consequence – I’m simply going to pick a few more, both translations and paraphrases, that touch me and serve to clarify (“clarity” was my message in yesterday’s post) the meaning of the passage in imaginative ways.
[God] says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” (NIV)
“Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!” (Amplified)
“Stop fighting,” he says, “and know that I am God,
supreme among the nations,
supreme over the world.” (Good News)
“Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (New American Standard)
Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
breaks all the weapons across his knee.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything.” (The Message: 8-10)
Take a deep breath, or two – maybe three or four – and simply rest in the truth of what you already know. God is God, and the consequence of that knowledge is always peace. Peace and glory; glory for God and peace for us; a peace that moves beyond the limitations of our understanding as humans, beings caught up in the values and the games of the unredeemed. (paraphrase, Derek Maul)
Good words for a Tuesday morning in this tumultuous and unpredictable world – DEREK