From the Pastor’s Desk,
Dear friends,
Pauline’s sermon last Sunday continues to echo this week – it is something i will remember for a long, long time.
Psalm 40:41 But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.”
Pauline said in her sermon, “So what does this “wait” actually mean? The original Hebrew word that is translated as “wait” in our English Bibles is “qavah” (kaw-vaw’). Qavar has both a literal and a figurative meaning. The literal meaning of this word is to entwine, to bind together like a cord. To bind together like a cord — what does that mean? First let me explain what “to bind together like a cord” does not mean. It does not mean to tie a cord around a bundle of sticks to keep them together. Instead, picture in your mind the process of making a rope (cord) by twisting or weaving (binding) thin threads together to form the rope. The more strands that are twisted or woven together in a rope, the greater is its strength. Can you picture each of us as a thread? And as we draw near to God and wrap ourselves around God, as we are bound together with God, God’s strength becomes ours. God’s strength fills the gaps of our weakness and that is how we are renewed day by day…..
….That’s the literal definition of that word. Then there is the figurative definition of the word qavah, which is “to wait, to hope, to expect.” The figurative meaning of qavah conveys anticipation. It is the same type of waiting that children do on Christmas morning while waiting to open up their presents. That “waiting in hope” is the definition that is often used in our bibles.”
This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday – it is a good time to reflect – are we weaved and entwined with God, as God abides in us, and us in God through the Holy Spirit? Are we waiting on God, in hope and expectation? Are we participating in this process?
miak