“If you would just sit still a minute, it wouldn’t hurt as much!”
How many exasperated moms and dads have quoted this line while trying to apply first aid to an injured child? The knee or elbow is skinned and bleeding, and as mommy or daddy gets close to it with the ointment, the poor kid jerks the wounded limb away and flails in pain. They might even wriggle loose and try to run.
Our Father God can find himself chasing our wounds the exact same way. Our hearts and souls are
skinned up, bruised, bleeding and broken, and we flail. We freak out. We run and hide. And his healing balm cannot connect with our open wound because we’re too busy reacting to the pain.
So what does scripture tell us? We’re to “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10).
Interesting that the Hebrew word for “be still” in that verse speaks essentially the same instruction as the parent speaks to the wounded child. “If you’ll be still, I can bring healing.” The original word for “be still” there is “Raphah”. In this context it means “to cast down; let fall; to allow the hands to hang down and relax” (Barnes notes on the Bible). It’s a picture of relaxed surrender, giving up the fight and settling down. We stop kicking and we let God be God.
And where else do we see this word “Raphah”? We see it in its more familiar form of “Rapha”, as in Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals. (Exodus 15:26). God explains to his people, “I am the Lord who heals you. I am Jehovah Rapha.” I am sure it’s no coincidence that “Raphah” (be still) is a derivative of “Rapha” (to heal).
Being still is hard for us, especially when we’re wounded. Fight or flight mentality kicks in and the pain often becomes our focus. But oh, the healing our Father God has in store for us when we will be still! When we unclench our fists, drop our hands, and cease from striving, then He can get access to the wound and bring his perfect healing. He can be our Rapha if we will just be still.
What wounds can your Father God heal for you today?
