Develope a Palate

Develope a Palate
Daily intake of the Word nourishes the Spirit. Jeremiah's Menu is an exercise in recognizing God's Word made flesh in and around me. Eating the Word in a way that supplies the spiritual nutrients needed to grow. The Menu is offered with the hope of inspiring you to taste and see that the Lord is good. Bon Appetite!

Quote Du Jour

Quote du Jour
Christians may differ on a variety of points, but they have all one spiritual appetite; and if we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one bread and one cup. As the loving cup goes round we pledge one another heartily therein. Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who are like yourself, supported by the same heavenly manna. ---Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Dinner Conversation: confessions from the kitchen

I usally spend several days meditating on a passage of Scripture before I offer it up on Jeremiah's Menu. It's a prayerful process of reading, re-reading, studying. Looking up words in dictionaries, both English and original language. Checking the occassional commentary. Listening for the Spirit to direct me. It takes time and there is no recipe.

The challenge for Psalm 119 is to continue the pattern of Aleph is for happy... Bet is for how... Gimmel is for stranger... etc.

Why, you may ask, is this a challenge?

Because of translation. When translating there is not always an English word that directly relates to the word you are trying to translate. That is why when you read the same verse in several different versions of the Bible you find multiple words with variances of the same meaning or even a phrase is used rather than trying to fix on one inadequate English word.

That is where I find myself today. One Hebrew word that conveys an abstract idea for which English has no single word to compare. Hmmm... which word do I choose? Or is it a phrase...

On top of the trouble of translating language, there is the dilemma of putting into words spiritual truths and ideas for which there are no words in any language.

So I confess, the kitchen is a little messy today... the words won't gel... but I will wait. It will stew and the Spirit will reveal.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth...
John 16:13 ESV

Don't eat alone. Invite the Holy Spirit to the table whenever you linger over God's Word or anything anyone has written regarding God's Word. He is the ultimate Translator.

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