As a little girl, I can often recall frequent visits to Big Mama’s house. As a matter of fact, our summers consisted of being at Big Mama’s house during the weekday and staying some weekends. Big Mamalived in a shotgun house (stood on blocks with a front door and a back door). As often as we had gone to Big Mama’s house, we could never adapt to being there during a thunderstorm. Why? Because it felt that her house shifted to the rhythm of the wind (I thought we would have a Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz experience). The thumps of the rain sounded as if the very roof would cave in at any time. The thunder and lightning would have us curled up with one another providing false security. We were ALL so afraid. As kids would do, we began to express ourselves by scrambling and murmuring our fears and legitimate concerns. We were S-C-A-R-E-D as could be, but not Big Mama. She would sit there so calmly and say to us, “Y’all hush. Be still. Let the Lord work. It’s going to be okay.”
Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” The Hebrew word for “still” in this verse is Hiphil, which means to be weak, to let go, to release. It could be translated into “cause yourselves to let go” or “let yourselves become weak”. While we sat during the storm at Big Mama’s house, we had come to terms with the fact that we had no control over the rain, and no matter how hard we prayed, the thunder continued to roar and lightening continued to strike. We found ourselves doing just what Big Mama said, “Hush and be still. Let the Lord work. It’s going to be okay.” We were vulnerable in the hands of an Almighty God. Big Mama understood it, we would later do the same.
Our world, at this time, is vulnerable. Our only solution must come through seeking the wisdom of an Almighty God! We are forced to be still during the storm. We are not to fear during this time of stillness. We cannot lose hope, be afraid, nor should we become weary. We must pray for the strength to let go and let God. I had no idea what Big Mama meant during the 70’s, but it makes so much sense now. I totally understand that God has complete control. So, I’d like to encourage you by duplicated Big Mama’s words, “Hush and be still. Let the Lord work. It’s going to be okay.”