The World Is Eagerly Waiting For You

Yesterday I took another drive through the East End of Newport News, Virginia with my friend Pastor Chris Williams, looking at different street corners, apartment complexes and “hotels” where gangs stroll, prostitution and strip clubs abound, and people wander lifelessly on the sidewalks. Chris shared with me how so many from the community think “If only I had money like white people, life would be okay.” This morning in my prayer time I mulled over some of the many people I pastored in New York who reminded me that the belief held so deeply in East End just isn’t true, it isn’t reality. Some of the most broken, needy people I have ever taken care of had enough wealth to make me envious… And some of the most economically poor I pastored had such treasure within to make me... more envious. Also this morning this text jumped out at me:

Jeremiah 9:23-24 The Lord says, “Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things.” (NLT)

“For if they boast or praise, be praised in this: To contemplate and know me for I am Yahweh who does/creates/makes hesed (loving faithfulness), justice and righteousness in the earth, for in these I delight” says Yahweh. (My Not So Great Translation MNSGT).  

First- notice the name. Our English Bibles translate Yahweh as “The LORD” (“Jehovah” in KJV).  In the Hebrew there is no article “the” in front of Yahweh. No, Yahweh is a personal name, the name God (Elohim) told Moses that He would be known by (Exodus 3:14-15).  Saying “The LORD” is impersonal, describing His title and role. When I pastored a church I truly preferred to be called “Allen” and not “the pastor” or even “Pastor”.   Pastoring was something I did, but I am Allen. I believe God wants us to know Him by name, intimately and personally. Jesus called Him “Father” not “The Father.” From the beginning when God revealed His personal name to Moses, to distinguish Himself from all the other pagan gods (‘el’ is the word for god, ‘elohim’ for gods), He wanted to be called by a personal name. The problem is our English language lacks a good word for this revealed name “Yahweh” which has the deep existential meaning “I am” or “I am who I am” or “I exist from eternity.” Implicitly it means “all life, all being, all ontological meaning are found eternally preexistent in me.” We have no single English word for this. Nothing can capture this idea so the translators chose “The LORD”. But maybe lets take the “The” off it and call Him by His name. I love the name “Father.”

Second- notice that God wants to be known not just that He is loving and just and righteous, but that He DOES love, DOES justice, and DOES righteousness. Again, implicit in His being but also in His doing is love- ‘hesed’ means loving kindness, faithfulness, loyalty, goodness. God is love and He does love. As humans we are made in His image, made to be like him in nature and action. As redeemed children of God, as He pours his love into our hearts (Romans 5:5) by the Holy Spirit who lives in us and is indeed God, we become like Him, both in our being and in our doing. We are to do justice and be just. We are to do righteousness and to be righteous. All this is possible in Christ, who lives in us.

Third- There is nothing greater in life than all this. Whether you are poor or rich, from the north, east, south, or the west, from Africa or Europe, Asia or the Americas, nothing is greater in life than knowing Yahweh, knowing God intimately as Father, who loves you, lives in you, and delights in you. There is nothing more exciting and worthwhile than Him living who He is (love, justice, and righteousness) in you and through you. And the world is eagerly waiting for you.