trust=blessed

Do you trust God? For the next six weeks the Something Greater team is posting a “Trust Challenge” (see it here, on facebook and instagram at something_greater_ministries). This is our effort to provide an easy way to help you to go deeper with God. Each day a beautiful photo, simple meditation, reflection question, verse and prayer will be posted.

Why do this?

Scripture states:

“Blessed are those who trust in the LORD; the LORD will be their trust.They are like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It does not fear heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still produces fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

So what does it mean to be blessed because we trust in the Lord? Let me explain through an experience I had on my most recent trip to Israel. My favorite meal was the night we had dinner with Rabbi Joshua Weisberg and his family. He is the new breed of Rabbi--he wore his forelocks tucked behind his ears and a fedora pushed back high on his forehead, sort of like Brad Pitt. He had moved to Jerusalem from the U.S. living a very secular life. His story of conversion was beautiful. Fast forward many years and there we all sat, eighteen of us crowded together, elbow to elbow, in his living room alongside his wife and eight kids. We were preparing to enjoy Shabbat, the Sabbath dinner. (The Sabbath begins on Friday at sun down and lasts for a full 25 hours with no work being done- as they say, they go from doing to being-no computers, cell phones or electronics, they can’t even switch on a light). Shabbat dinner is a sacred ceremonial meal that welcomes in the Sabbath and begins the holy island of time within the week.

Before we ate there was a series of blessings over the carefully prepared food…

And over the wife and kids.

How did he do it? To tell of it brings tears to my eyes. The father, Joshua (which is the same root word as Jesus in Hebrew) spoke a poem of praise found in Proverbs 31:10-31 to his wife. He then called each child up, one at a time, and tenderly pressed his forehead to their forehead and his nose to their nose and then gently placed his hands on top of their head and whispered something so softly and sweetly that only the one being blessed could hear his words. (I know what he said because I was reading along in the “program booklet” that they had provided to help to explain all of the evening’s events.)*

All eight kids, in order of age, came forward one by one for this very special time. How intimate it was. How happily they left his presence in order to go wash up with the ceremonial washings (in which we joined) in order to continue the celebration and then to eat!

I tell you this because I believe that the word blessing and the word trust are so beautifully displayed here. There was no doubt in that nose to nose moment that what we were witnessing was a snapshot of the absolute love and trust that was the underpinning of the family. The words spoken over them in the blessing were just a confirmation of the already established heart to heart bond between father and child.

Do you have that kind of trust in God? The Forehead to forehead, Nose to nose kind? The kind that brings a blessing of a heart to heart union with the One Who loves and cares for you the most so that you will have deep roots, green leaves, no fear and bear beautiful fruit--even in a time of drought-- like the above scripture states?

Join us for the next six weeks. You will never regret one step you take that brings you closer to the heart (and nose:) of God. I promise. Our Father in heaven so longs to bless you in this way…do you trust Him?

And if you want to go even deeper...

I have some GREAT NEWS! I will be leading a Something Greater Women’s Pilgrimage to Israel March 16-28 with a fantastic team of guides and priests through Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat Center. Please pray about joining us on this life-changing trip! You will never read the Bible or experience Mass the same way again. Email me here for more information and stay tuned for more updates!

“Blessed are those who trust in the LORD…” Jeremiah 17:7

Dear God,

Oh how sweet it is to trust in You! How I long to do it more with all of my heart! Take my fears and ignorance and show me that I can trust in You --no matter what circumstances may say. Keep me Lord, as the apple of Your eye. Woo me Lord, so that I want no other thing than to be with You, Nose to nose and Heart to heart...forever.

I ask this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

*Blessing For Sons: “May God make you like Ephraim and Menashe.”**

Blessing for Daughters: “May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah.”***

Both Followed by: “May God bless you and watch over you. May God shine His face toward you and show you favor. May God be favorably disposed toward you and grant you peace.”

**Just before Jacob died, he called all his sons for a final blessing. As a special reward to Joseph, who remained righteous throughout his ordeal of exile, he calls forward Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Menashe, and gives them a special blessing, as well as two portions of the Land of Israel: On that day Jacob blessed them, he said, "In time to come, Israel (the Jewish people) will use you as a blessing. They will say, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Menashe'." (Genesis 48:20)

Jacob's blessing was that they should be a blessing, an example to the Jewish people for all time. From that day forward, they would become role models for Jewish children everywhere, as they represented qualities to emulate eternally.

***Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah... the mothers of the Jewish people. Each one possessed unique qualities that played essential roles in the strength and future of the nation. Yet there was something they all shared, something that Jewish women for all time would strive to emulate. Each one lived in recognition that the ultimate in fulfillment is enabling others to realize their potentials as individuals and as members of the Jewish people. The Torah is filled with accounts of these women, recording their insight, their giving nature, and their sensitivity, leadership, and special ability to inspire others. Beyond this, all of the matriarchs were great, righteous women, who hailed from the homes of wicked people – what we call today " a bad environment." (These women were “overcomers”! May our daughters be overcomers too!) http://www.aish.com/sh/ht/fn/48966831.html