Recall Recognition Relationship

 

I was reading this verse from the Book of Isaiah a few days ago.  

The ox knows its master,
    the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
    my people do not understand.” Isaiah 1:3

 

If we ponder on this verse it is about memory. The animals have a memory, God has a memory, however, alas the human’s memory seems to fail. What does having a memory mean? It enables us to recognize persons and places. The ox has a memory of its master and therefore connects with the master. The donkey often the butt of jokes for not having intelligence also knows where the owner's stall is. Despite grazing in the open freely their memory takes them back to their owner’s and their place of stay.

“my people” indicates the relationship God has with the people of Israel. While God is seeking out His people, his people are not able to connect with their God.

The Ox is aware of who its master is, and the donkey knows its dwelling place. The learning for us as Humans is to respond to the call of our Master and be aware of our eternal home.

Can we recall the goodness of God, Recognize His Divinity, and build our relationship with Him so that we are assured of our Eternal Home.

Emmanuel David October 2023

Finding Meaning in a Church Greeting

 

I was pondering the theme for this month’s Remarkable and thought it rather a difficult one to write about. However, listening to the services (sometimes twice on a Sunday), I heard these oft-repeated verses at the end of every service:

Minister: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Minister: Let us depart in peace.

People: In the name of Christ. Amen.

I thought I would delve deeper into this greeting that we so easily say.

The origin is Latin, and the exact words are ‘Dominus vobiscum’, which means “The Lord be with you.” The response in Latin is ‘Et cum spiritu tuo’, which means “And with thy spirit.” Later, in our contemporary translation, it was changed to “And also with you” so that the Lord is with our full being.

This greeting of the minister and the congregation is what unites each of us as the Church of Christ. So, as we leave the sanctuary, we are leaving with the assurance to each other that our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are with us.

We also affirm to depart in peace in the name of Christ. These are only 20 words; however, they give us assurance, affirmation, and a call to action.

Assurance: The Lord was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego at their moment of trial by fire. The Lord was present with Moses at the burning bush, and with His disciples during the storm, as well as with the two on the walk to Emmaus. We are affirming to each other that the Lord will be with us in the coming week, day, or perhaps even the next hour.

If this is so, what is the call to action? Having the Lord and the Holy Spirit with us would mean that our behaviour shows the fruit of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

A couple of months ago, after driving out of church, I was upset with someone in a public place, and Nazarene, my wife, asked me a provocative question: “Can’t we be peaceful after attending the church service? What witness are you leaving behind?” When we tell each other to depart in peace, in Christ’s name, we have a responsibility, and we hold each other accountable.

Hebrews 3:12-13 says, “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

May our Lord be with each one of you.