Always Emily

I saw a post a few months ago that I can’t stop thinking about.

The Hebrew name of God “Yahweh” means ‘to be’ and originally doesn’t have any vowels: Yhwh.

This post pointed out that this name of God is like our very breath.

Inhale: Yh

Exhale: Wh

Go ahead, try it.

God is the breath of life, and He designed us to be constantly saying His name with our own breath, with our own life.

Just like His own name, God calls us ‘to be’ first and foremost–to rest in who He is. You could find countless verses, “Be still and know”, “Don’t worry about anything,” and so on.

In Acts 17: 24-25 Paul is speaking to the Romans after noticing a statue dedicated to ‘an unknown god.’ Paul says to them “The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.”

A typical king needs servants. He needs people to cook and serve his food, clean his castle, fight in his army, wash and make his clothes. Without servants, a king is rendered powerless.

Our King doesn’t need any of that. His power doesn’t come from the people below Him, but from who He is.

He invites us into relationship and then we become willing and joyful servants because of who God is.

It can be difficult to believe because our world is so opposite. Here, you work and serve and then, after all that, maybe you get rewarded and recognized.

God sees us as worthy and beloved before any of that—before we’ve lifted a finger, while we’re still wicked. 

I invite you to re-focus.

When you’re feeling like your worth is tied to your works, like recognition is far from you, close your eyes and breath. 

Inhale. Exhale. Yh-Wh. 

Refocus on who God is and know that the most important thing you can do is ‘to be.’

Always, 

Emily