R U Running into His arms?
Each month we wait upon the Lord for His word for all of us. After more than twenty years of doing this, we are still amazed at the wonderful ways in which God makes His will known. As Jamie was reading one of her stacks of mail recently, a message inside two red hearts caught her eye. One of our partners had received a unique word from the Lord in 1998 at a time when God was restoring and reviving her soul. His message to her included a great quantity of words all beginning with the letter R. The message ministered to us, and we have included it below. We trust that it will bless you as well.
Come away from the RAPID pace of this world.
RELAX, REJOICE, be REJUVENATED, REFLECT, REMINISCE
and be REALIGNED in the Spirit. Become my book of remembrance.
Allow me to recapture your mind, restore your soul,
revive your heart, and release your spirit into worship.
Focus on ME as Your risen redeemer,
who is real and remarkable.
Take the responsibility. recognize your sins,
rend your hearts,
relinquish your will,
RENOUNCE
rebellion
and rage.
repent, return, resist the enemy. rebuke him, refuse defeat.
remove the grave cloths. Be rescued. Find relief.
recover, rely on ME as the rock.
The I AM is the repairer of the breach. Be filled with resurrection power.
Long for an intimate relationship with ME. It's more than what some call religion.
I AM your refuge...run to me. reach out to me.
In reverence come, MY radiant Bride and be renewed —
receive the revelation!
Be wrapped in royal robes of righteousness.
Enter into MY rest.
reign with ME.
recline
at OUR table
Your reward
is with
ME!
Become the REFLECTION of ME
Reysh - The Hebrew equivalent of "R"
The Lord led us from R to Reysh (R) in a fascinating study of the deep meaning behind this letter of the Hebrew alphabet. One of our main sources in considering the letter Reysh was the book The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet. It is part of the Art Scroll Series by Mesorah Publications. Reysh is considered the symbol of choosing between greatness and degradation. Some very powerful and opposite Hebrew words begin with this letter.
Ra-TSACH (X xCm R) Murder, kill
Rah (Ex R) Evil (wicked)
Ra-AH (Ex E mR) Harm
Ra-SHA (E mw mR) Ungodly
It is interesting to note that in God's message to us in the two hearts, we are urged to renounce rebellion and rage (in other words, forsaking the negative aspect of reysh). Rebellion and rage are permeating our world as we enter 2001. No where is this seen more vividly than in Israel. The dark side of reysh with its wickedness, violence, murder and ungodliness is splashed across TV screens and newspapers daily. Much prayer is needed that the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God) would enable both Jew and Arab in Israel to recognize their sin, relinquish their will, repent, and return to God. The same can be said of our nation. As a people we have a great need to rend our hearts before God, even as we cry out to Him "Oh, that You would Rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence... " (Isaiah 64:1)
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob longs to touch us where we are. He is like the top triangle of the Magen David (Star or Shield of David) reaching down to man.(s) We must be like the other half, reaching up to God. (r) Together, heaven meets earth; God's Spirit and man's spirit unite! Our call is to run to Him (not away from Him). The word for run in Hebrew is (J g R) pronounced roots. As the bride says in Shir Ha Shirim 1:4: "Draw me, we will run after thee."
The Holy Spirit (Ruach Ha Kodesh) gently calls us to turn from our wicked ways. Our Father longs for our return to Him. The Talmud expresses how receptive God is to the repentant sinner: "My children, make Me (just) a single opening of repentance the size of a needle point, and I will provide you with entrances through which wagons and carriages can pass." (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2) The Holy Scriptures constantly exhort us to repent and return to God. The prophet Isaiah expressed it this way: "For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: `In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength'." (Isaiah 30:15) Messiah Yeshua said: "...there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." (Luke 15:7)
We as believers need to repent for the ways in which we have neglected our relationship with the Beloved. In an interesting view of repentance, certain rabbis list repentance as one of seven things created before the universe (Nedarim 39b), since without repentance the universe could not endure. A deep thought, worthy of consideration.
A fascinating book explaining the meaning of the Hebrew letters and the "pictures" portrayed by the letters is our offer this month. You don't have to be able to read or understand Hebrew to enjoy Hebrew Word Pictures by Frank T. Seekins.
RU-ach (xX gR) Spirit
Ra-BAH (mBm R) Authority
Ra-HAHM (Ox Xxm R) Compassion
Ro-EE (Y iE R) Shepherd
Ra-PHA (A mP mR) Heal (Cure)
Rosh (w A oR) Head
Y
The Righteous Side of Reysh
Reysh (R) is also identified with rosh (w A oR)head or beginning (like Rosh Hashanah, the head of the year). God, is "Head" of the entire world. In both Jewish and Christian traditions, He is the "Beginning and the End." God's people are also called to be the "head" (and not the tail). The Bible tells us that the Lord Himself will make His chosen ones the head (rosh), if they hearken unto the commandments of the Lord their God, to observe and to do them (Deuteronomy 28:13).
The letter R is used to symbolize leadership or authority. The rabbis teach that the use of reysh to symbolize both a wicked person and a leader is significant. The lesson: one who repents and turns from his wickedness can become a great leader. This is even more true in Messiah where all things become new. An ungodly person who repents can become great in the Kingdom of God!
The Ruach Ha Kodesh (Spirit of God) is the Loving Power (Person) that God used to draw us to Himself. We have been "called out of darkness into His marvelous light." (I Peter 2:9) We have chosen to place ourselves under the authority of the Son of God. His name is Yeshua and He is the Rosh (head) of the Body of Believers. (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15) Colossians 1:18 expressed Yeshua's headship beautifully: "Also he (Yeshua) is the head of the Body (the Messianic Community) he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might hold first place in everything." (Complete Jewish Bible translation)
Three Hebrew words beginning with reysh, paint a perfect portrait of our righteous Messiah: roee (Y iE R) shepherd, rapha (A mP mR) heal, rahahm (Ox Xxm R) compassion. These words have become flesh in our lives in the past few months. Yeshua is the Good Shepherd. With Him, we have everything we need. Nothing can separate us from His love. He leads His flock beside still waters and speaks shalom to anxious hearts. He is Adonai Rapha, the Lord our Healer. By His stripes we are healed. He heals all our diseases (Psalm 103:3) because of his great compassion (Psalm 86:15) for His children. What a loving Lord we serve!
The choice is ours: wickedness or godliness, good or evil, the world or the kingdom of God. The lesson of the letter reysh for us all is summed up in Joshua 24:15: "...Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Since our boys were toddlers, we have encouraged them on a daily basis to "choose God and good." This is what God desires for all of His children!
Reysh in Psalms 119
Psalm 119 is an "acrostic" psalm. It is divided into sections according to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Within each section, the first letter of each verse begins with the same letter. Verses 153-160 begin with reysh. May we all embrace these words from the Holy Scriptures this month:
"Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law.
Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.
Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments.
Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word.
Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever."