Yadah! Yadah! Yadah!

 

I was always under the impression that when anyone said, "Yadah, Yadah, Yadah," it simply meant "so on and so forth." It's such an odd expression. Don't you think?

After a devotion I read from The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn, I will never think about or use this phrase flippantly again! Cahn dives into the Jewish (Hebrew) language with gusto. It's so deep in meaning and symbolism. This beautiful language comes to life for me every time I open his book. 

In this particular devotion, Cahn begins by explaining the word Jew. It comes from the Hebrew words, Yehudim or Yehudah. Yehudah comes from the word yadah which means to praise, give thanks, and worship. (The Book of Mysteries, Day 259, The Yad)

To go a bit further, Yadah stems from yad and yad means hand.

Ever wonder why we lift our hands in worship? Lifting hands in praise is a semblance of open hands before the Lord:

• Open hands receive God's gifts.
• Open hands offer in return to Him our praise and thanksgiving for all He's done and given us.

So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands (Psalm 63:4, ESV).

This fall, my in-home Bible study group of women is doing a 4-week study on the book of Philippians. After introducing this warm and intimate letter to the church at Philippi, I shared with them how Paul is writing from prison with an attitude of thanksgiving and praise and worship. He has a special place in his heart for the Philippians because they were the first church plant in Europe. Together, this body of believers and Paul were partners in living out and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we are invited to do the same.

We concluded the first week of our study with the "Yadah" lesson. As they left, my heart was filled with great joy as we praised, gave thanks, and worshiped together. I hope theirs were too!

With hands lifted high, Yadah! Yadah! Yadah!

My Pleasure,

Melanie

Psalm 16:11