Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Well...See...

Well...see...for a person who loves words or a wordsmith, there is more than one way to skin a cat.  Words are complex and can communicate effectively in an assortment of ways.  The meanings for words vary according to context:antonyms, synonyms, homonyms...the wonderful world of words.    For some of us, we like their complexity and can get lost on a seeker's trail but we also have this peculiar reverence for them.  The seeking and the reverence are catalyst for us to examine and expound until it becomes almost compulsive...but the rewards, the nuggets of truth that can be excavated are simply remarkable.  Here's my last word trail.

After the first blog, I began thinking about the word 'kelbey' and it's meaning; farmhouse by the spring.  As I mentioned earlier, it is very fitting for this wordsmith...blogger newbie...aspiring author because every serious writer needs a place to get lost just to find the words. The necessity of water seems pretty obvious but for me creativity is spiritual and so "Living Water" is the true necessity.  All of these random thoughts got me to thinking about women and water.   In ancient cultures, including biblical times, women were responsible for drawing water for their family.  This piqued my interest! I could see such a correlation between women, water and my own creative need for this spiritual outlet...images of women from all cultures with water jugs on their shoulders came to mind.  Women are responsible for their family's well being and knowing how to draw living water is imperative. (Selah. Pause and think about that!) There is one biblical account that of course came to mind...the Samaritan woman and  Jesus at the well.  That account is rich with truth but let's just say...well...see...the trail took a sharp left.

SHARP LEFT: Hagar: Egyptian slave given in marriage to Abram at his wife Sarai's request in order to have a child. Genesis 16:7 reads, "And the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness on the road to Shur." (Amplified Bible).  Well upon reading this my jaw was almost on the floor!! The Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament is THE visible form of GOD just as Jesus Christ is in the New Testament.  The Strong's #H3068  yeh-ho-vaw...Jehovah... is the proper name of the ONE TRUE God.  Now I am almost totally undone, unwound and unzipped!  The True and Living God appeared to an Egyptian slave woman as she was trying to escape from her mistress!  Doesn't that just kick over your ideology about the OT God of anger and judgement? It gets more interesting...still on the trail..

Continuing to examine this account, I looked at fountain, since women and water were really what started this whole search anyway. Well...see... this is what I discovered...Strong's #5869 (or #5871a in another reference) is translated as two words: 1) ayin (a Hebrew letter) eye  2) spring or fountain.  WHAT!!!!  Remember what I mentioned earlier, which may seem like many moons ago, about words context and meaning.  This is getting so good.  The Hebrew letter ayin is eye and is directly related to seeing, perception and insight.  This Jewish Year is 5774 which is ayin dalet. I am no Hebrew scholar but at this point I am pretty sure that this is no coincidence.  I am not going to go into the significance of all that...my humble advice...start your own word trail. (Or check out this post by Melissa Flores..http://definingwords.com/2013/09/02/the-year-5774-ayin-dalet/).

Trying to bring it to a close.  The Angel of the LORD spoke to Hagar by that spring, by that fountain.  She was changed.  If you go and read the account you will see she is given a promise, a covenant.  Genesis 16:13-14 reads, "So she called the name of the Lord Who spoke to her, You are the God of seeing, for she said, Have I not even here in the wilderness looked upon Him Who sees me and lived? Or have I here also seen the future purposes or designs of Him Who Sees Me? Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi [ A well to the Living One Who sees me]; it is between Kadesh and Bered." (Amplified Bible). The Hebrew word for well is 'beer'.  Wells were very significant in the Bible.  There are many other biblical accounts about wells but this is the first!

Hagar met the "Living Water"in a wilderness by a spring long before the Samaritan woman. The Angel of the LORD,  Jehovah, revealed Himself to this slave woman, gave her a promise and kept His Word. (see Genesis 21:19 for the conclusion...really look it up). This is the first well mentioned in the Bible. It has divine revelatory significance.  (There is so much more that can be discovered on this trail but time doesn't really permit it).   I came away from this trail truly in awe of a loving God, Living Water and a simple woman by a spring. El Roi...the God (Living One) who Sees Me! Since this word trail started, I have had a few life situations to show me in tangible ways that the Living One does see me and not only me, but also those I am concerned about and love! Spiritual note: sitting by a spring isn't too shabby of a place to be seen!

So if you happen to be in a wilderness, don't despair.  If you are thirsty and looking for water...keep searching...you will find it (look at Genesis 21:19).  If you think that no one knows or even has a clue. WRONG. If somehow life has tricked you into believing there isn't Someone out there who REALLY KNOWS and SEES. WRONG AGAIN!! Be encouraged...nothing can be further from the truth. Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened! Well...See...He IS God and the One Who Sees! Happy trails.


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