You May Hear Someone Say Jesus, But How Do We Know Jesus?

Do you know and trust Yeshua Hamashia (Jesus Christ)?

Do you have a secure trust in your belief that nothing can exist outside of God?

There are times I question if our English words correctly communicate the meaning of original language words as they suffer translation. Today please consider the original Jewish religious thought illustrated by two Hebrew words. Bitachon and Emunah.

Bitachon is a Hebrew word please consider the religious action it illustrates. It's root meaning is the action of an observant Jew having trusting belief in Hasham, God. This means it is the highest level of trust, your soul can lean or rest on. Because it is secure something grows from it. Having this secure strength within your soul grows emunah often translated to mean faith. This Hebrew word is also defining a very high level of faith secure with knowledge of having God given resources. To assist with understanding, consider the faith of a confident craftsman. Having a high level of confidence in his ability to do his work.

Both actions of the Hebrew words are present in Simon Peter's reply.

Yochanan 6:69(OJB) And we have bitachon and have trusted with emunah and we have da’as that you are HaKadosh of Hashem the Holy One of G-d.

Look around when in a restaurant filled with people. Many people insist living life in a lifestyle they want or are comfortable with. You might see a few with lifestyles that include a secure belief and trusting faith in God. But for the most part people, live their day the same as the day before and the day before that. Their belief and trust is with what they can do on their own. What does that do with meaning for the purpose of life. The purpose of life is then replaced with an almost mechanical or robotic routine; get up, work, eat, sleep, and repeat the process.

In this routine what is lacking is living the purpose of life that God has for you. But if you do not check-in with God. How could you possibly see the glory of God in the lifestyle you settle down to do?

Consider the historical experiences the Hebrews had with God. They were set free from slavery, they were protected from a pursuing army, they were fed, they were led to water, they were given the Words of Life, they were given a Promised Land.

But people like to wake up, work, eat, and sleep without checking in with God. Just recently I saw an opportunity to experience a change in how life can be experienced. Saying goodbye to a short beach retreat and preparing for a eight hour drive home through severe thunderstorms. Out of the corner of my eye I detected something that should not be on the hot asphalt road at ten o'clock in the morning. You have a choice to make when God gives you an opportunity to serve his glory.

Continue driving on, or check in with the glory of God. Stopping the car, alerting my wife, and using an empty communion cup box we rescued a dis-ordinated sea turtle hatchling.

Normally sea turtles hatchlings march to the protection of the water during the night. Otherwise a hatchling can become a meal for ready to eat shore birds. And that was exactly the fate awaiting this hatchling. It was apparent this one went in the wrong direction. When a nest hatches, many hatchlings seem to boil out of the nest. But this one had used up the God given resources. He was not speeding to the waters as hatchlings will do. The heat of the day was taking a toll to make it to the water. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico was quite a distance for a hatchling's small steps. The waters offered the hatchling a chance for survival.

That out of the corner of my eye a slight movement caused a hard decision to be made quickly. My human side understood what effect stopping would cause, a delay our return. But my soul knew this to be a gift of God. And by stopping it would bring a special joy to my wife. She has had a desire to see a turtle nest boil and watch the hatchlings march to the sea. She has wanted to stand guard protecting the hatchlings from the always hungry shore birds.

By ignoring my temptation to keep my control over life, I knew no action would mean death for this exhausted hatchling. Choosing to stop, both of us would experience the offering God's glory offers. Taking the hatchling back a park ranger, the ranger promised the hatchling would be OK. He would call the trained sea turtle response team. Because the hatchling went the wrong way he might need special attention.