Sunday, September 15, 2013

Voices in the Night

Last night, I was trying to fall asleep and started rehearsing Bible verses. During this time, the words, "Eloi, Eloi, Shabbat Shalom" started running through my mind.

These words are in Hebrew, of which I know very little, although I've heard some words and phrases through church and Bible studies. I knew that "Eloi" referred to God and "Shalom" means "peace," but I didn't know or remember what "Shabbat" means.

I looked it up this afternoon. It turns out "Shabbat Shalom" is a common greeting among Jews between sundown on Friday evening and sundown on Saturday evening. It basically means "peaceful Sabbath" or "May your day of no work be peaceful."

"Eloi" means "my God."

"Shabbat" literally means a ceasing or stopping and is the Hebrew word used to reference the Sabbath.

"Shalom" actually has more to do with being whole or complete than just being at peace. I love the definition provided by one website: "Peace, hello, goodbye, health and wholeness, tranquility, safety, well-being, welfare, contentment, success, comfort, wholeness, integrity, also a common greeting." (http://briangan.ms11.net/personal/dictionary.htm)


So, late on a Saturday evening, I find myself talking to God, my God, about a peaceful, whole, complete Sabbath. I'm not sure what to take from it, but being more intentional about observing the Sabbath day has crossed my mind many times recently.

Exodus 20:8-11  "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

 Deuteronomy 5:12-15  "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey, or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."

Genesis 2:2-3  By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.




(Websites referenced: http://jewsandjoes.com/what-is-the-meaning-of-shabbat-shalom.html, http://yehudafm.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/what-does-shabbat-shalom-mean/, http://briangan.ms11.net/personal/dictionary.htm. Please know that I don't endorse any of the content of these websites, as I have not reviewed them more than the specific pages viewed for this post.)

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Promotions and Firings

I always intend to blog more frequently, but it just doesn't work out at this time! I have so many ideas that come to me and get jotted down. Some are still on paper at this time. I hope they make it here some day. :-)


The other afternoon, my daughter and I were having a conversation. It started with her saying that she loved Jesus' cross best because he didn't stay on it. Then she mentioned the two criminals who were crucified with him - one who would be with Jesus in heaven, and one who wouldn't (Luke 23:39-43). She then said she was praying for a family friend of ours, because they don't believe in Jesus as the Son of God as we do, and she prayed that this person would some day. She wants to see this person in heaven some day.

I don't remember all of the conversation, but it got me thinking - and I don't know quite how it took the course that it did, but here it is. In a very small way, it can be related to promotions and firings in a place of employment. We are all working together and then someone gets promoted or fired. If they are promoted, we are happy for them and we know they have gone on with achievement, recognized for their work, to better benefits, etc. If they are fired, we hurt for them because we know they will have hardships - searching for a new job, loss of pay and benefits, etc. Both ways, they are not in the same "office" any more and we've lost some physical/social relationship with them.

We all have a purpose in this life, whether we choose to accept it or not. God has a will about what we will do, who we will impact, etc. When that job is completed, whether successfully (leading to promotion) or unsuccessfully (leading to firing), we leave the position. Maybe the position is left empty or eliminated. Maybe someone else will come to fill it, continuing the mission set before the person who was there previously.

Earlier this week, we attended a visitation for an individual from our church and the discussion came up with the family that they felt both happy and sad - happy that they knew she was in heaven, and sad because she wasn't still here with them. That is how it is for believers who know their family member/friend knew God and believed in Jesus. It is a far different story when believers know the individual did not have such a faith. It hurts more. There is not a happy/sad feeling. It is a sad/sad, a heart hurt, a mourning. There is not the joy of knowing they have a renewed body, unspeakable peace and joy, and are living with the almighty king and others who have gone before. You know, I sometimes feel the same pangs of grief and pain for those who are still living, because I know they are so turned against or away from God. It really will take a miracle for some of them to turn to Him, and I don't see anything in them that even wants to consider it.

So, after you complete the job that has been given to you, what's your next step? Are you going to be one whom the Boss says "well done," (Matthew 25:21,23; Luke 19:17) and you get promoted, or are you going to be to be fired. By the way, did anyone else catch the connection between being "fired" and the fires of hell?

I can tell you sincerely that I pray for you with all earnesty for you to know God and live for Him - even if I don't know you personally. Maybe we'll meet some day in heaven! (...if not before then.)