March 2011

Hello, Everyone!

Spring is arriving in Ireland! It is always heralded by the bright and happy yellow trumpets that fill our gardens: daffodils. After an especially cold winter it is a very welcome sign, indeed. It is also lambing season. Every field you drive past allows a peak over the low stone walls of the baby lambs that literally fill the landscape. These are beautiful and hopeful symbols of God’s promises and inspire heart-felt prayers for the move of God in Ireland to be productive and powerful.

I was privileged to perform a wedding for a friend of mine who’s daughter was getting married this past month. As I prepared for the wedding, one of the things God was speaking to me about was the heart. I’d like to share part of that message with you.

Chip Brim, who is a friend of mine, shared a story about his well-known Mom (Billye Brim) in our church a few years ago. When his wife birthed a beautiful son, he couldn’t wait to give the news to his mother who was in Israel at the time. She was very excited with the announcement and promptly asked, “What did you name him?” Thrilled with God’s latest blessing and the prospects it brought, he informed her that he had named his new son Caleb… like the conquering companion of Joshua who possessed the promised land! “Oh”, his Mom returned flatly. Surprised at her lack of enthusiasm for such a manly, not to mention biblical name, he inquired as to the reason. “Well, son,” she said, “you know that I love the Hebrew language and speak it. When I hear the name Caleb, I hear it with its natural meaning. Do you know what Caleb means?” He didn’t. “It means: DOG!” With that, Chip’s disappointment settled in.

It wasn’t until later that week as Billye was in a small, out-of-the-way book store for Jewish Rabbis that something significant and enlightening happened which changed everything. A Rabbi approached her asking whether she could speak Hebrew. Yes! She received her Doctorate in Hebrew studies, she assured him. “Well,” he said, “I feel impressed to teach you a word. Would that be OK?” She immediately agreed. “What word?” she queried. “The name, Caleb.” As you can imagine, he had her attention. He took her aside to a chalk board where he wrote the name, Caleb. He asked her to pronounce it… then pronounce it more slowly. Finally, to break the word in half, “...kaw-labe. I see it!!”, she exclaimed. See, when you divide the word into two parts, it simply means ‘whole-heart’. And that is why Adam called the dog Caleb! He would have studied each of the animals and given them their names, in Hebrew, with significant meanings. The dog was the only animal which would have been ‘whole-heartedly’ devoted to his master. That also explains why God allowed Caleb to go into the promised land. Remember, God said that Caleb had followed Him with his WHOLE HEART. This lends, also, to the thought from 2 Chron 16:9 which says, “The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him…”

See, God is looking for someone to bless, someone to use!! The only requirement is the condition of our heart. This verse says it must be ‘perfect’... this is the word Shalem (Heb.) from which we get the word Shalom. It means complete, whole and at rest. This heart, then, is the one God will bring into His promises. The one who is whole-heartedly devoted to Him. His heart is at rest, trusting in the Master and completely given to God!

What is it in your life that God is trying to fix but you are still carrying and have not given it over to Him. God wants to show Himself STRONG for you… but you must give Him a whole heart to work through. Your attitude and posture will determine whether you receive your miracle. So to you, dear friend, I say, “What’s up, DOG??”