The other day while driving on the freeway I was listening to the radio. I was not familiar with the song playing but one of the phrases really spoke to my soul. “El Shaddai, all sustaining.” I thought to myself, “ I have heard the name El Shaddai and knew it was one of God’s names, but didn’t know the meaning was ‘all sustaining.” As I drove the rest of the way to my destination, I kept thinking over and over “All sustaining.” Isn’t that awesome that our God sustains us in every situation! Think about that for a moment and let it soak in . . . all sustaining in every situation! How blessed we are. I wanted to check my BibleSoft computer program as to the first reference of El Shaddai. I did a search and the first verse where we find El Shaddai is Gen 17:1 "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." (KJV) I know what you are thinking where’s the reference to El Shaddai. We have to go to the Hebrew dictionary to get the translation. The Hebrew word for Almighty is Shadday (shad-dah'-ee). Wikipedia says “The noun containing the dagesh is the Hebrew word Dai meaning "enough, sufficient, sustaining. This is the same word used in the Passover Haggadah, Dayeinu, "It would have been sufficient." Derived from the contraction of sha (who) and dai (enough) to indicate God’s complete sufficiency to sustain.
Next I checked the dictionary for the meanings of sustain.
1. To uphold; to support
2. To keep from sinking in despondence
3. To keep alive; to nourish
4. To aid, comfort or relieve
5. To endure without failing
6. To bear
7. To supply with necessities and support
8. To carry the weight of
Do you see God in each of those definitions? Does God support you in your time of need? Is He your life raft to keep you from sinking into despair? Does he supply your nourishment to keep you alive? Is He the one you turn to for comfort and relief during trials? Can you count on The Almighty, El Shaddai to endure without failing? Does He bear your burdens and carry the weight of your problems? “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;” Ps 55:22 (NIV) Our God is the same El Shaddai of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He will be there to sustain us through all of our trials. El Shaddai, all sustaining.
Next I checked the dictionary for the meanings of sustain.
1. To uphold; to support
2. To keep from sinking in despondence
3. To keep alive; to nourish
4. To aid, comfort or relieve
5. To endure without failing
6. To bear
7. To supply with necessities and support
8. To carry the weight of
Do you see God in each of those definitions? Does God support you in your time of need? Is He your life raft to keep you from sinking into despair? Does he supply your nourishment to keep you alive? Is He the one you turn to for comfort and relief during trials? Can you count on The Almighty, El Shaddai to endure without failing? Does He bear your burdens and carry the weight of your problems? “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;” Ps 55:22 (NIV) Our God is the same El Shaddai of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He will be there to sustain us through all of our trials. El Shaddai, all sustaining.
2 comments:
So good. As I was reading I grabbed my dictionary to see the meaning of sustain...to get a clear meaning. and there you go...you beat me to it! Amazing He does all these things. I get so wrapped up in myself wanting to control, not be patient, worry...when El Shaddai is here...WANTING to do it for me!
Oh Thare, isn't that what we all want to do. run our own life when we do such a bad job of it!Things are so much better when I let go and let God.
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