The Panting Soul

(by Lorie Codispoti)

During the early years of my Christian walk I learned and sang many songs that took their lyrics directly from Scripture, particularly the psalms. Each one is embedded in my heart & I’m incredibly grateful for a rich foundation that emphasized praise & worship as a means of entering into the courts of our King.

Many of us are familiar with Psalm 42. The first two verses express the author’s intense desire to seek & know God.

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God….” (Is the tune playing in your head?)

You may be very familiar with these verses & the song that accompanies it. The danger with familiarity is that we can be tempted to speed read our way through well known passages & completely miss the treasure hidden within.

Personally, I’ve discovered two things within Psalm 42 that have refreshed my weary heart.

#1 - Taking note of repeated words & phrases is an important tool to use as we attempt to interpret any passage in Scripture. Have you ever noticed that the word “soul” is repeated six times in this chapter? This is not only significant, but it’s worth digging into in order to understand what the author wants to communicate.

Unfortunately, our western view of “soul” originates from Ancient Greek philosophy, which communicates that our soul is the immortal essence of our being - something that is trapped within our bodies until it is released at the time of death.

However, that is not what the original Hebrew word for soul communicates. It literally means “throat,” & can have several applications.

According to one Hebrew scholar: “In the Hebrew mind we are composed of multiple parts. The body is the flesh and bones, the vessel. The organs are viewed as the seats of thought (the heart), emotion (the kidneys), intuition (gut), etc. The breath is ones character, what makes a person who they are. The soul is the whole of the person, the unity of the body, organs and breath. It is not some immaterial spiritual entity, it is you, all of you, your whole being or self.” (Jeff Benner)

So when the author says that his soul is thirsty for the one and only “living God” I read that, physically, his throat (soul) is dry from the weariness of being “cast down,” but his whole being is in need of the kind of refreshing that only a living God (not a dead one) can provide.

#2 - The psalmist uses a panting deer as his metaphor to express his intense desire to know God. One of the first things we learn about reading Scripture is that there is nothing haphazard about any of the words. The author didn’t just randomly pick a deer panting for water as his best option to describe his own thirst. Every word in every verse of Scripture is intentional & carries with it deep meaning. The Hebrew word for “pant” implies a desperate need for water. It’s a dire situation for this deer.

The famous American poet, Emily Dickenson wrote that a “wounded deer leaps the highest” (which is also the poem’s title). One writer analyzed her work by noting that the deer jumps in such a way that one might think it is full of life, but in reality it has sustained a fatal blow. The animal is attempting to gather one last burst of energy, leaping its highest before succumbing to the inevitable sentence of death.

Is it plausible that the deer in Psalm 42 has something in common with Dickenson’s animal? Perhaps his soul is “cast down” & “disquieted” because he has encountered some kind of life altering event that has forced him into a desperate situation.

Deer are very much aware of their surroundings. God created them with characteristics that enable them to both sense & escape predators. They have the stamina to run long distances, as well as powerful legs that enable them to leap & jump with ease. The Bible describes them as being sure footed, which enables them to traverse rough terrain & climb steep mountainsides.

But, what happens to the deer that has been wounded? How do they respond to a life threatening event?

While deer are herbivores they will, on occasion, as needed, eat meat. Like snakes! (Not kidding.)

I read one Jewish medieval interpretation of Psalm 42 that suggests the reason the deer is desperately seeking strong flowing, deep, cool & refreshing water is due to the fact that snake venom will heat up its body & the water will neutralize the effects of the poison.

Another commentator points out that deer were over-hunted for their tasty meat in that region during that time. Many times they were chased to exhaustion by hunting dogs, thereby causing them to seek the shelter & refreshment of deep waters in their attempt to escape from their predators.

The psalmist is in such anguish that verse three says that his tears have been his food, day & night. He’s desperately crying out to God for help.

Did you know that deer can become so desperate for water that in their suffering they will make a strange braying noise & walk openly among the wadis in their search for water? This exposes them to great danger, but it is a danger they are willing to risk for the only thing that will save them from certain death.

The first part of verse seven grabs my attention. It reads “Deep calls unto deep…”

While being deeply poetic, this phrase is also incredibly relatable. How many times have I desperately cried out for God to provide what only He can. He is the only source of Living Water. The exciting part of this verse is the hope that is imbibed in the next part, “…at the noise of Your waterfalls; all your waves & billows have gone over me.” The deer found what he was looking for. He could hear it before he could see or feel it, which likely strengthened him for one last energetic burst.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the Help of my countenance & my God.” (Vs.11)

Are you being chased by an enemy that is about to overtake you? Have you been mortally wounded by his arrows?

Put your hope in God & run like a deer who has nothing to lose but what he’s already lost, & everything to gain by the God who hears the desperate braying of your soul. He is the God who has promised to not only rescue all those who call upon His name, but the One who provides a way of escape, while at the same time refreshing your soul with His Living Water.

Drink your fill & frolic in the healing waters of His presence. He will enable you to finish your race.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Nothing New Under The Sun

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Deja vu?

The longer you live the more likely you are to see or hear something you’ve experienced before.

For example, within our homeschool circle in the 80’s & 90’s you were on the cutting edge of fashion if you wore a jean jumper & little white tennis shoes. (I confess, I had jumper envy until I was able to purchase one.) The look was so cute & comfortable.

Have you noticed the nostalgic return? I’m kind of excited about it.

It was Marie Antoinette’s dressmaker who first coined the phrase, “There is nothing new, except for what has been forgotten.” Perhaps she had requested a garment that would wow the masses. Something that would not only surprise her audience, but a look that would send every woman of nobility to the nearest dressmaker to copy this innovative new look.

I wonder if Antoinette’s dressmaker borrowed his thought from Ecclesiastes 1:9, which says that “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” The thing is, this truth was recorded well before the 18th century. Imagine how much has been forgotten & then rediscovered since then.

I’m thinking of all the curriculum choices homeschoolers have today.

Writers & publishers have designed some wonderful products that are sure to wow the masses. And, while it’s exciting to attend a book fair, where you can spend a whole day (& a lot of money) perusing some fabulous options for teaching reading, writing, & arithmetic, one can become easily overwhelmed by all the options.

So, here’s my tip for those of you who are in the middle of trying to decide what will work for your students: “… there is nothing new under the sun.”

Teachers have been instructing students to learn how to read & write with the same basic tools for generations. Before you make your final decision, take some time to assess your student’s needs, your budget, your time, & your resources.

Sure, if you have a big enough budget & want to support the hard-working people who design new ways of learning old things, then by all means do so. But, don’t let perceived limitations discourage you into thinking that your child will be deprived of a good education if you don't have the newest reading program. Not all the bells & whistles are repackaged in such a way that they will guarantee any greater success than the old & forgotten curriculum that your parents used to teach you. It might smell a little musty from being stored in the attic, but last I checked adding & subtracting haven’t changed, & we ’re still using the same alphabet the pilgrims used to teach their children.

Speaking of attic treasures: I was looking for something completely different when I discovered something long forgotten.

You guessed it - my daughter’s jean jumper. Yep, I must have saved it. I was so excited that I took a picture & sent it to her with a note that expressed my elation, along with an offer to mail it to her. Sadly, she did not share the sentiment & very politely said, “No thanks, Mom. You can donate it to the thrift store.”

Ouch! Really?

Not everything forgotten is seen with new eyes.

Unless they are my eyes.

I’ll be holding my head high as I sport my new, old jean jumper.

And to all the Marie Antoinettes of the world, get in line!

Nostalgia is back & deja vu is all the rage.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Wedding Preparations In The Heat

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Our daughter’s wedding was in July, so they have an anniversary coming up.

Thoughts about that day & our do-it-yourself wedding are filling my mind with all kinds of memories.

According to the locals, it was the hottest July they remembered experiencing in that part of Colorado. We weren’t having an outdoor wedding, so the heat should not have been a problem, right?

Wrong.

To our surprise, we learned that many of the older buildings (& homes) were not designed or built with air conditioners in mind. And the church where they were married was no exception.

The solution was to bring in these portable cooling units called “swamp coolers” to help cool the air inside the building. Every local knows what a swamp cooler is, but I had never heard or seen one. (Apparently they use humidity to help cool the air, & are especially useful in dry climates.)

First problem solved.

Next we learned that the dough my husband planned to use to make flippers for the reception didn't rise well in higher elevations.

Denver, we have a problem!

Thankfully, after tapping into the knowledge & resources of a local bakery, that problem was also solved.

(FYI: Flippers are a Portuguese fried bread dough, & part of my husband’s family heritage. Along with the sentimental connection, it was the featured food our daughter wanted for her wedding reception.)

By the time it was all said and done we were exhausted, but also blessed with a great and memorable wedding.

Chuck Swindoll said, "We are faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as impossible situations."

I share this story because I want to encourage you to press on in your walk.

Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you & teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”

As the heat index rises here in the Southeast, bringing many challenges along with it, we must remember that there is nothing that is too difficult for our Father - who stands ready to intervene in every situation we turn over to Him.

Whenever we find ourselves commissioned by God to embrace a new challenge - be it a new location, a new assignment, or a seemingly monumental task - we should remind ourselves that we have the greatest Resource available. When we call out to Him He promises to be with us as we walk our way down the aisle to the altar.

If God has given us His word, His Spirit, & one another, then we have everything we need to accomplish the task.

Scripture doesn’t promise that preparing for our wedding day will be easy. In fact, we can count on the fact that there will be many obstacles to overcome along the way. We may even have to endure unbearable heat and find new ways to enjoy flat flippers.

But one thing is for sure. When we hear that wedding bell ring and call us to a higher elevation, all we’ll care about is the Bridegroom we’ve been preparing to meet face-to-face. His presence alone will dwarf everything we’ve endured on this side of the wedding feast.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Rightly Interpret Scripture

(by Lorie Codispoti)

No bible verse should be interpreted in isolation. Each one has a context that must be considered if we are going to rightly divide the word of truth.

A wise teacher once noted that: “Before we ever get to the here & now of a text we have to get to the then & there of a text.”

Unfortunately, what often times happens is that we isegete (put into) rather than exegete (draw out of) a biblical text. Instead of interpreting biblical passages through the lens of the author, his audience, & the culture of his day, we look at everything from our own feelings & experience. This is bad hermeneutics.

As a young believer I adopted some spiritually unhealthy norms when interacting with Scripture. I took my cues from a few unstable influences, & those influences shaped a lot of wrong thinking about who God is & what His word is all about.

Thankfully God didn’t leave me in that sphere. Learning how to rightly interpret Scripture has changed everything from the way I read it to the way I share it with others.

No one wants to see us walk in truth more than our loving Heavenly Father. When we’re diligent to ask & seek, He promises we will find. I needed rewiring (transforming) & God graciously provided the schematic (His word with His Spirit) to assist me in tearing down an unstable foundation so that He could begin the process of rebuilding my faulty thinking.

After a recent teaching I was asked about my process of studying, interpreting, & communicating Scripture. I found the question hard to consolidate into a simple answer. For one thing I still feel like a novice & there’s so much more to learn. And second, because it has become a lifelong endeavor to develop a solid hermeneutical practice. While I have added valuable tools to my interpretation belt - tools that have helped me to understand the blueprints better, construct a solid foundation, & add one story at a time to my house of faith - I’m convinced that this construction will be an ongoing project until I breathe my last breath.

While that may be discouraging to some, I’ve found there to be tremendous joy in the journey. So much so that I want to continue exegeting Scripture like I’m building a skyscraper. Each new floor added enables me to see things more clearly, whether I’m looking up or looking down. I’ll leave the finishing to the Master Builder, who can be fully trusted to finalize the project & call it done.

In the meantime, why not grab your hammer & join me in the building process? It's hard work, but it sure is rewarding.

“A wise woman builds her house…” (Prov.14:1)

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

No Such Thing As Trans-kids

"If you’re talking about “trans-kids,” your premise is that there is a new kind of person - some kind of person who’s not male, not female, who somehow is born in the wrong body. … So, what’s the reality? There are no “trans-kids.” There are boys & girls, male & female children, or adolescents who might be experiencing distress, but they are not a different kind of person. … Let’s not talk about “trans-kids” or “trans-people.” They’re people. People with equal dignity. But they’re male & female, boys or girls, men or women - regardless of their self perception. … Our perceptions aren’t always grounded in reality. … You cannot change sex. You’re male or female & it marks every cell of your body." (Strong Women | Telling the Truth About our Bodies with Mary Rice Hasson. https://colsoncenter.org/.../strong-women-telling-the... )

Be warned: People who advance or engage in the promotion of deceiving, disabling, & disfiguring a child will face a much worse destruction. (See Matt.18:6.)

Teach the children in your life to align their beliefs with what is real. (The very definition of truth.)

Sarah Stonestreet made a good point in this conversaton: While it’s a good thing for us to long to be re-created, when we look to re-create ourselves we are buying into the lie that we can transform ourselves into something other than what God made us to be (male & female).

When we attempt to re-image ourselves we are playing the role of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. We are new creations IN Christ. Altering His design will only create a hideous & broken monster.

As believers, we are not only called to stand for truth, but we are to care for those who have been deceived. This goes for all those who believe the lie, as well as those promoting it. My heart gravitates toward the innocent children being victimized by this false ideology, but it also understands that while there are those with vile intentions, there are also those who genuinely believe they are helping these kids. Each person is worth the persecution we may endure for speaking truth. It’s a far less thing to endure than what they face if they continue walking in this socially constructed, cultural lie.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

The Hand That Fills The Glove

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I’m over four years into this trial now, & though I’ve come a long way, (Praise!) the battle is still very heavy at times.

(Something they don’t tell you when you’re diagnosed with a disease that has no cure is that sometimes the mental strain is as relenting as the pain.)

During my darkest days I teetered on the border of a dark precipice, praying that the wind of God’s voice would push me over the edge & into the relief of His presence. I was not suicidal, in the respect that I wanted to kill myself, but I did want to die.

God’s comfort comes to His people - not in the lifting off of their weight of sorrow or pain - but in strengthening them for victorious endurance. (J.R.Miller)

What if victory is found in the strength to press into & endure the very thing we dread?

Think about strength training. It involves weights & pain (sore muscles). There’s no way to avoid it in order to build strength. Sure, I’d prefer to have the weight of this disease lifted off; who wouldn’t? But, here’s the cool thing: I have a Spotter. And the goal of a spotter isn’t limited to simply providing safety for the lifter.

While preventing injury is part of their job, the resume of an exceptional spotter includes one vital component: emotional support. It's their ability to encourage the discouraged that infuses the lifter with the confidence they need to endure & move forward.

We have a Spotter!

If you are a believer, you have been given an amazing gift - the Holy Spirit. And His spotting ability goes well beyond the confines of a human spotter.

Do you remember what God told Gideon when he was faced with unsurmountable odds?

The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor! (Jud.6:12)

"Mighty man of valor"? Really?

When most of us think of Gideon, this is not the moniker we would assign to him.

Gideon was called by God to save Israel from the Midianites. For a variety of reasons, he knew he did not have what it would take to defeat this formidable foe. He lacked both the strength & the courage he needed to win this victory for his people. But by the time it’s all said & done, Gideon - vastly outnumbered by the enemy - wins the victory. The Midianites end up in such a state of confusion that many turn & kill each other, & the rest run away in the chaos.

One thing that stands out to me is that God made this proclamation over Gideon BEFORE He even gave him the assignment. He sent the Spotter to instill confidence. God’s Spirit would not only help him fulfill his calling, but He proclaimed Gideon to be a “mighty man of valor” when Gideon knew full well he was anything but mighty & courageous.

My wimpy, marshmallow-muscled self is greatly encouraged by this story. And it’s not because Gideon was anything special. (Really, it’s because he wasn’t.) The spotlight shines on the One who is special. God promised that His presence would be with him, but Gideon still had to pick up the weight & move forward in faith in order for God’s strength to manifest through him.

Another thing that speaks to me is where is says that the “Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon…” (6:34). This is God filling Gideon with Himself, much like a hand fills a glove before a lifter approaches the bench. So, I ask you, who is actually doing the heavy lifting? It is God who fills & enables us. Gideon’s enemies were camped in the valley we call Armageddon. He was so vastly outnumbered that without God his little band of warriors would all be wiped out in a single, very short battle.

The Might that emboldened Gideon is the same Might that emboldens us to charge into the battles we face.

Do you know what Gideon did right before he engaged in the battle of a lifetime?

Two things.

First, he worshipped. Lesson to us: worship before you war. The Spirit will fill & empower you to charge fearlessly into battle when you armor-up with praise.

Second, he took on the role of a spotter, encouraging his army & proclaiming the victory that God promised BEFORE they even marched into the war zone.

In our world, victory is secured after the battle. But, in the spiritual world it’s the opposite.

Gideon was a wimp; I’m a wimp.

Gideon was afraid; I’m afraid.

Gideon lacked faith; I lack faith.

Gideon surrendered all of his inadequacies to God & trusted Him for the outcome.

I can do that - and so can you!

What did the glove say to the hand? “I need something outside of myself in order to pick up this weight, press forward, & win this fight.”

The Hand replied: For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. (Ps.29:11)

With that, the glove proclaimed: “For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose against me. (2Sam.22:40)

The LORD is with us - mighty men & women of valor!

Surrender your weakness & trust His strength. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you & go get the victory. After all, He secured it before you even stepped on the battlefield.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Bullshido

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I heard a new word this week: bullshido.

Naturally, I had to investigate.

The term is a fusion of two words, both of which I’m sure you’ve already figured out. It’s meant to be derogatory as it describes fraudulent martial arts practices. A bullshido instructor is referred to as a McDojo. They make false claims & use tools of manipulation to lure their victims into believing they possess a special set of self-defense skills, all of which they are happy to share for a price. The ironic part of this deception is that many of these practitioners are self-delusioned into believing the very thing they peddle, making them as much of a victim as their students.

Bullshido was used in an expose' that I watched on some of the techniques used by one specific prosperity gospel preacher.

This particular “minister” is one we actually met & engaged with many years ago as John provided the special music for a large convention where he was one of two main speakers. My impression of him has not changed; he is a fraud & I would not hesitate to categorize him as a false teacher - a bullshido practitioner.

Am I being judgmental? Yes!

Many people think that the Bible tells believers not to be judgmental. That may be because they don’t understand that we are actually called to judge, but with the caveat of judging correctly & not hastily. Jesus' command to “judge not lest you be judged with the same judgement” (Matt.7:1) is not a prohibition on judging others. Within the same sermon He warns His followers to beware of false prophets, who are known by the fruit of their lives. In the book of John, Jesus actually commands us to judge, “not by mere appearances,” but “correctly.” (Jn.7:24) In other words, our judgement is not hasty, hypocritical, self-righteous, superficial, or untrue. This means we need to sharpen our discernment & exercise it rightly.

Discernment is key!

Anything (or anyone) that contradicts the truth of God’s word is a lie & lies are to be exposed. In fact, Ephesians 5:11 say that we are to expose the “fruitless deeds of darkness.” It's sin if we don't.

Charles Spurgeon said that “discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather, it is telling the difference between right and almost right.”

How true is that in our day & age? It’s that “almost right” part that can throw us. A good lie is one that contains a vain of truth; it’s simply twisted to fit the agenda of the one telling it. A good liar not only has the ability to deceive others, but Scripture indicates that given enough time the liar will himself become deceived by his fabrications.

While God grants some the “gift of discernment” - the ability to quickly & intuitively perceive, understand, & judge rightly - every believer must develop & learn to exercise our ability to discern rightly. This is, in part, to keep ourselves from falling prey to the enemy’s lies, but also to help fellow believers walk in truth.

How do we learn to discern?

We start by humbling ourselves before the Lord, confessing our propensity to fall victim to the McDojos of the world & communicating our desire to grow in truth. A good place to start is by praying the word & asking for God to develop within us His Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, & fear. (Isa.11:2-3) We can ask God to put us with a body of believers who are actively involved in seeking & exercising the gifts mentioned in Romans 12:6-8. (Discernment’s classroom requires more than one pupil.)

Do you know what I found to be the most interesting (& sad) thing about those who engage in the art of bullshido? It’s that no one can become a student unless they are fully cooperative & non-resistant. Spiritually speaking, this means in order to qualify to sit under a false teacher you must be gullible. (Otherwise, how would their technique work?) Don't question. Never doubt. Lose your inhibitions, & surrender. No critical thinking allowed.

There are some very popular prosperity gospel preachers on television who parade their false signs & wonders, on stage to masses of deceived people. They exploit those who are genuinely in need help, but worst of all they are misrepresenting the God of the Bible & His Son, Jesus Christ. Many become disillusioned & walk away because they’ve been deceived into believing that this is an accurate representation of truth.

The apostle Paul warns Timothy about evil people (false teachers, preachers) who will creep into the households of the gullible - those who are easily led astray. He says these McDojos will have “a form of godliness” but they are imposters who defraud & captivate their victims. (2Tim.3)

Here’s the thing about false prophets & teachers: they are counterfeiters, but the fact that a counterfeit exists means that there is the real thing.

If you’ve fallen prey to the manipulation of false teaching & been disillusioned by a doctrine that you thought was legitimate, know that the God of all creation will not only provide a way for you to escape the chains of that circus act, but if you humble yourself before Him He will set you free & place you on a path that leads to absolute fulfillment, joy, & eternal life in His presence. That, my friends, is the real prosperity gospel.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Sunrise Sunset

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Have you noticed how gorgeous the sky has been lately - specifically at the start & finish of each day?

We live in the woods, so I’m not afforded the privilege of taking in some of the sunrises & sunsets that many are able to enjoy. However, I have oohed & awed over some of the gorgeous photographs being posted.

They remind me of a quote I’ve been fascinated with recently:

“Is not the sun red at sunrise and at sunset — [red] at sunrise, because it passes by the roses of the Garden of Eden; at sunset, because it passes by the gate of Gehenna (Hell).” (Baba Bathra 84a - Jewish Talmud)

There is much to be drawn from the poetic language of this metaphor, but we have to look at it through ancient Jewish eyes if we want to grasp its deeper meaning.

That's what I did, & the following is a compilation of my findings.

(I realize some of my interpretations are subjective, but I feel the freedom to do this since its poetry & I am not proof texting a Scripture verse.)

Orientation.

In our modern world we orient ourselves to the north, but the ancient world’s default was east (meaning “forward” or “front”). And for us, time & thought move from left to right, but in the Jewish world it’s the opposite. Even their writing reads from east to west - right to left.

Think of some of the “east” correlations we read in Scripture. God created Earth’s sun to rise in the east. He also placed a garden on the east side of Eden (Gen.2:8), and after the fall cherubim were stationed at the east entrance. (Gen.3:24) God’s glory comes from the east, enters the east facing temple, which has a river that flows from the east. (Ez.43) God posted the tribe of Judah “On the east side, toward the rising of the sun…” (Num.2:3). It was the closest tribe to the tabernacle (also facing east (Num.3:38)). Both Jesus’ ascension and His return take place on the Mount of Olives - east of Jerusalem. (Acts1:1-10, Zech.14:4, Mtt.24:23-27)

Now, think of some of the things we read about the “west.” God created Earth’s sun to set in the west. (West” means “behind/backwards,” “sea,” (most common) & “evening.”) Israel’s enemies (the Philistines) lived where the sun set, near the “sea” (the great abyss). Jonah flees from God & heads west - “backwards” toward the sea. Micah 7:19 says that God will cast all our sins into the depths of the “sea,” & we read in Psalm 103:12 that God will remove our sins “as far as the east is from the west.”

Sun.

In many ancient cultures the sun was a diety to be worshipped, but God specifically warned His people not to bow down to the sun: “When you look up at the sky, & behold the sun & the moon & the stars… you must not be lured into bowing down to them or serving them.” (Deut.4:19)

God created the sun to be “the greater light to rule the day” (Gen.1:16), & in Ecclesiastes 11:7 we read that the light of the sun is “sweet & pleasant for the eyes to behold.” The psalmist describes God as a “sun & shield,” & Malachi 4 references the coming Christ as the “Sun of Righteousness” rising with “healing on His wings.” Isaiah talks about a day when the sun will shine seven times brighter, & another when there will be no need for the sun because of the everlasting light of its Creator. While it is an object that can point us to our Creator, it is a created thing & not something to be worshipped.

Red.

My mother-in-love grew up in a fishing village, where most of the men were fishermen & would be out to sea for many weeks at a time. She was the first to inform me of this catchy rhyme used by the mariners to predict the weather: “Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning; red skies at night, sailor’s delight.”

I wonder how many of them knew that this saying originates from Matthew 16, where Jesus uses this analogy when the Pharisees & Sadducees asked for a sign. Since weather systems traveled from west to east in mid-latitude areas (like Israel), He used this example as something they would clearly understand to point to something they didn’t. They were testing Him, but lacked the ability to discern that what was predicted by all the prophets was standing right in front of them.

The science behind the red that we see at sunrise & sunset is very interesting, but the thing I want to draw attention to is the word “red.” The Bible uses it 53 times. There are three Greek words used in the New Testament. One means the color itself. Another refers to a sea. And the third makes reference to the shade of fire or a flame. That may give us some insight into the Gehenna (Hell) reference.

Hell.

The shade of red varies in this quote, depending on the light at sunrise & sunset. The Hebrew word for evening denotes “mixing” & refers to the later part of the day, where light mixes with darkness. During these twilight hours visibility diminishes, & I like the way one professor uses this metaphor as a warning: “As seductive as the beauty of the evening is, one is reminded that it is mixed with darkness and … you are reminded that darkness can have an allure of its own and we must be on alert not to mistake the beauty of twilight with the reality of the beauty of the Light of God Himself.” (Chaim Bentora)

Roses.

The only plants identified in the Garden of Eden are the two trees, so my interpretation is based on what I read in Scripture, as well as historical & cultural information.

It’s interesting that the exact identity of the flower we call a rose is a mystery, as the Hebrew word has been translated differently. Nevertheless, the Bible makes use of floral imagery to symbolically represent love, beauty, & the flourishing of God’s creation.

Artisans have captured that in many ways. Some of my favorites are cathedral windows, especially those that incorporate a rose pattern (or oculus). Many of their designs use light strategically to reflect & cast the sun’s rays.

For hundreds of years, poets & storytellers have contributed to the symbolic nature of the rose, sometimes blurring the lines between the sacred & the secular. Some Jewish sources associate the rose with the people of Israel, & its thorns to her enemies. For the Greeks & Romans, roses were associated with their goddesses. For Catholics, it’s connected to the Virgin Mary. Other Christian traditions link red roses to the love & sacrifice of Christ, as well as the blood of martyrs.

If your parents named you, Rose, you may be interested to know that it comes from a word that means "to rise" or "to bloom.” I think that roses are the most beautiful when the morning dew rests on their petals. The sunlight makes them sparkle like jewels.

Conclusion.

The beauty of God’s creation gives us reason to pause & meditate on the wonder of our great & mighty God. In doing so, we must be careful not to exchange our worship of the Creator for the created. (Rms.1) Our Father has given us beautiful things, like sun rises, sunsets, & flowers to enjoy.

“They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” (Psalm 65:8)

At Son-rise may we be reminded that the Rose of Sharon spilled His red blood to purchase our redemption. As darkness covered the Earth during His crucifixion, the fires of Hell were fueled with celebration, but the enemy & all his minions didn’t know that the One who created all things was, once again, separating the darkness from the Light.

The Son rose from the grave with the promise of a new Garden - a place where thornless roses never die, where the glory of the Son will replace our temporary sun, & where Gehenna’s reflection of death & darkness will be snuffed out forever.

Look to the east - for the Son who rose will set His feet on the same ground, to gather His own & rule forever.

“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” (Psa.113:3)

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