reH 'eb tu'lu' (repodcast)

vaD everything jatlhpu' Sum joH'a' ghaH DuH.
For everything spoken by God is possible. Luke 1.37

(click for podcast)

This is a Biblical verse, appointed for the fourth Sunday of Advent, that would delight a Vulcan - pondering the logic of it is a tricky business, particularly if you look into the Greek text and realize that it says literally "nothing spoken by God is impossible. (I wonder if the translators who put it in the positive were trying to avoid the dreaded "double negative?")

However you put it, it has potential to fuel long debates along the lines of "can God make a rock so heavy he can't lift it?" And to do so would, I think, miss the point. The context for this passage is the angel Gabriel announcing the miraculous birth of Jesus to Mary. This is the angel's answer to Mary's objections:

vaD everything jatlhpu' Sum joH'a' ghaH DuH.
For everything spoken by God is possible. Luke 1.37

The key Greek word is adunateo ad-oo-nat-eh'-o - is only used twice in this form. It means "to be unable" (that is, impossible) and comes from the negative "a" plus "dunateo" to be able. The root of "dunateo" indicates power (to be able) and is heard in English words like "dynamic" or "dynamite." For the Klingon, I've used "DuH" (be possible). To say "impossible" it would be DuH plus the -Ha' suffix: DuHHa' - not-be-possible. So nothing - even a baby where none would or should be expected - nothing, God says is impossible.

It's worth noting, the other appearence of this word - when Jesus is explaining to the disciples
their failure in healing :

"He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Mt 17:20

Not just for Mary - for all believers "impossible" is out of the vocabulary. What a challenge! And what a promise. It recalls a Klingon proverb: reH 'eb tu'lu' - there is always a chance. In other words, never give up.

I wish I could keep this foremost in my heart every day - and say "I believe, help my unbelief!" I need to write this in places that I'll see it every morning and every night: nothing God says is impossible! Oh, may we live by those words!

Keep on Praying! (re-podcast)

tlhob Hutlh mevtaH.
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

(click for podcast)

This verse - part of the third Sunday in Advent readings - is another great entrant in the "short-easy-to-memorize-Bible-verses" list. In no more than NINE words, you can memorize this verse in THREE languages: Latin: sine intermissione orate English: Pray without ceasing and Klingon: tlhob Hutlh mevtaH. [You can even do it in fewer words. A more grammatical Klingon might be "reH yItlhobtaH" - always you-be-praying.]

The important word here is pray. In Greek it is proseuchomai (pros-yoo'-khom-ahee), from pros- (unto, toward), and euchomai (yoo'-khom-ahee, to ask) and it appears over 80 times in the Bible. For Klingon, I've used the word "tlhob," to ask.

This season, the season celebrated in churches as Advent, represents a time of anticipation for Christians who understand our moment in history as one of waiting. They prepare for the coming of Jesus - his advent - by recalling and reenacting in story and song, his arrival as a baby. Caught in this tension between remembering and longing for his return, we really do need Paul's advice:

tlhob Hutlh mevtaH.
Pray without ceasing.

The message of Advent and its completion in Christmas is Immanuel - God is with us.

This may sound simply like acknowledging the presence of God. The Vulcans have a word for that - a'tha. This is the Vulcan word for the experience, the knowledge of God's presence - something apparently present in ALL Vulcans from birth. This does not seem to be our human experience, nor the Klingon one judging by the Klingon claim to have "killed" their gods

But just knowing, even experiencing God's existence isn't enough though. As James notes: The demons also believe, and shudder. James 2:19

Here is where

tlhob Hutlh mevtaH.
Pray without ceasing.

is essential. A life of prayer - continuous prayer - is a life of relationship, not mere "fact." Praying links us closely to God - just as regular conversation with friends builds your relationship with them. After all, how much do you think about a friend you haven't talked to for years?

This time of year so often focuses on PRESENTS -and too often our prayers are like Janis Joplin's "Oh Lord, won't you give me a Mercedes Benz?" - mere Santa Claus lists. But if we live - continually in prayer it will be God's PRESENCE with that we seek. The gift I need to open and use are in these simple words:

tlhob Hutlh mevtaH.
Pray without ceasing.

Beautiful!

In the spirit of the season, I share this beautiful video from Riding with Robots:

Riding with Robots 2008 Holiday Card from Bill Dunford on Vimeo.

These Little Ones... St Nicholas Day re-podcast

'ach vaj 'oH ghaH ghobe' the DichDaq vo' lIj vav 'Iv ghaH Daq chal vetlh wa' vo' Dochvammey mach ones should chIlqu'.
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

(click for podcast)

If you're a pastor, and looking for a way to quickly be driven out of your parish - I can't think of a better controversy to raise than.... a discussion about Santa Claus. I fear at times that the deepest beliefs of the Bible could be question without the kind of difficulties a preacher would meet if they weighed in on the reality of Kris Kringle.

Nor am I brave enough to tread on this legend - though I wonder what a Klingon would make of some of the stories? The Klingon disposition toward things military lend to a tendency to be (shall we say?) paranoid. Imagine how they'd feel about a silent intruder who routinely slips in past all defenses to surprise the inhabitants! Motivated by generosity or not - I expect a Klingon hearing of such stealth would be more alarmed than happy.

But - maybe if they were introduced to the real Santa Claus - St Nicholas:

St. Nicholas, lover of the poor and patron saint of children, is a model of how Christians are meant to live. As priest and bishop, Nicholas put Jesus Christ at the center of his life and ministry. His concern for children and others in need or danger expressed a love for God which points toward Jesus, the source of true caring and compassion. Embracing St. Nicholas customs can help recover the true center of Christmas—the birth of Jesus.

Understanding St. Nicholas as the original and true holiday gift-giver also helps shift focus to giving rather than getting, compassion rather than consumption, need rather than greed. This can help restore balance to increasingly materialistic and stress-filled Advent and Christmas seasons.

St. Nicholas is beloved throughout the world and continues to be revered in Christian tradition, especially as protector and patron of children in the West and as Wonderworker in the East. The St. Nicholas Center aims to bring Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians together in common purpose—to help people understand and appreciate the original St. Nicholas, the only real Santa Claus.
[http://www.stnicholascenter.orgI encourage you to visit the site to learn more]

As a people - Klingons are depicted as fierce warriors - potent enemies in battle. But anyone who reads at all far in the lore of Star Trek will know how fiercely they honor and guard their family - they know the value of protecting children. They'd likely be impressed by the stories - some quite fantastic - of St. Nick's rescue of children. Or how he protected the honor of dowry-less girls by secretly presenting them with gifts of gold coins.

In the Bible Jesus says these words, used in the readings for the commemoration of St. Nicholas:

'ach vaj 'oH ghaH ghobe' the DichDaq vo' lIj vav 'Iv ghaH Daq chal vetlh wa' vo' Dochvammey mach ones should chIlqu'.
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

The mach - little - ones matter. Not just to a saint like Nicholas, but to God. In this season we have many opportunities to be generous. What can we do to protect the neediest among us?

SuD baS - Gold!

 latlh  Daq  taH  neH  'oH  chaH than  SuD baS,  HIja', than  'ar fine  SuD baS;   sweeter  je than honey  je the extract  vo' the honeycomb.

 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.  Psalms 19:10  

(click for podcast version)

That's how the Psalmist describes God's word - as a wonderful golden treasure.  But, here's the thing about gold:  there's only so much.  That's one of the reasons it is so valuable.  Even if you had a gold mine, you'd eventually dig it all out.  Use it up and then you'd have no more.

Scripture is not like that: across the centuries, it is a mine filled with wealth that never has - and never will - run out.  Sometimes we might fail to dig in - but that doesn't mean the word has come up empty.  It's a joy to discover how many believers over the years have gone deep into this treasury and given us sermons, commentaries, devotionals and more - works that empower us to reflect on the Word - and act on it.  One of the delights of our day and age is how many of those resources - especially classics - are available online to anyone with a webbrowser.  Take a look for example at the Crosswire Bible Society's pages ( http://www.crosswire.org) where you'll find online tools, as well as free downloads that give you a fantastic library for Bible study - bounty of Biblical translations, commentaries, cross references and more.

John Gill says about this verse:This refers to all the truths in the word of God; to all the doctrines of the Gospel; which, by good men, are more desirable, and by them more prized and valued, than all worldly riches and treasure;

What is gold to you?   What do you treasure?  The Hebrew word here is zahab: from an unused root meaning to shimmer, and appears more than 300 times in the Bible.  Here I've rendered in in Klingon as SuD baS - for "yellow metal," though in Klingon the word SuD means green, blue AND yellow.  It's also a verb: to gamble - so maybe a "gambling metal" isn't not a bad word to use.

We don't really know - in the future depicted by Star Trek - exactly WHAT is valuable.  Gold appears to be useful for scientific and decorative purposes - but has no intrinsic value due to rarity.  Gold-pressed latinum, on the other hand IS valuable, as it can't be replicated - it appears to be the token of value that replaces gold among the Federation and other future societies.

But the truth the Bible points to us again and again is that wealth is far more than material treasure.  Jesus tells us:

'ach lay  Dung  vaD  tlhIH'egh treasures  Daq  chal,  nuqDaq  ghobe' moth  ghobe' rust consume,  je  nuqDaq  HejwI'pu'  yImev  ghor  vegh  je

    steal; vaD  nuqDaq  lIj treasure  ghaH,  pa'  lIj  tIq  DichDaq  taH  je.

  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don't break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   Matthew 6:20-21

If you're looking for treasure - look no further than God's word.  Make it part of your everyday routine.  Something I've been using lately is the website http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/  where I can print out a daily reading that I can carry with me - it's a great way to keep on track with my "read through the Bible" plan.  They've got links and plans there to set your pace to keep reading through the Scriptures - as well as links to many different translations.  Give it a try, you might find it a terrific way to discover new treasures!

 latlh  Daq  taH  neH  'oH  chaH than  SuD baS,  HIja', than  'ar fine  SuD baS;   sweeter  je than honey  je the extract  vo' the honeycomb.

 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.  Psalms 19:10  

The Word is sweet.  The Word is rich - dig into it today!

chutmey - ordinances

joH'a' chutmey 'oH teH, je QaQtaHghach altogether.

The LORD's ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:9b

(click for podcast)

Klingons love nothing like a good fight - can you imagine being expected to "lay down the law" to one? To explain what God's laws, his "chutmey" are?

What does it mean to declare God's "ordinances," his chutmey areTRUE as we hear in Psalm 19?

First, because the Klingon vocabulary we know is meager - I've used a word here chut (law) to stand in for the Hebrew mishpat. That's weak, and might make us miss the point - it's far more than just "law" that the Psalmist is talking about here. One writer notes that the word here rendered chutmey (laws) in Klingon,

...refers also to the revealed truth of God, with the idea that that has been judged or determined by him to be right and to be best. It is the result of the divine adjudication as to what is true, and what is best for man. The word is often used in this sense. Compare Ex 21:1; Le 18:5; 26:43; compare Ps 9:7, Ps 9:16; 10:5. [Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible]

We're told here that these ordinances, these judgements of God are TRUE. The Hebrew word here for "true" is the same word, emeth, used in Psalm 117 when we're told "the truth (or faithfulness) of the LORD endures forever." What God says, what he decides ENDURES, it lasts. We may see people or institutions fail us, we might even see mountains crumble - but God's word, his promises are enduring.

But this isn't a purely intellectual truth, like the facts of mathematics or propositions of geometry. God's mind for us is RIGHTEOUSNESS. The word is tsadaq and encompasses the idea to be right (in a moral or forensic sense). In the KJV it is translated as cleanse, clear self, to be or do justice and more. I've rendered it here with the word QaQtaHghach, QaQ (be good), taH (ongoing) plus the nominalizing suffix ghach: QaQtaHghach it sort of means "being-good-ness." That's a thin bit of word for what God intends us to be, to be righteous when we live our lives by his judgements. Psalm 119 reminds us that living by this word can make a difference

How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word and following its rules.

I have tried my best to find you—
don’t let me wander from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11 NLT

Part of the challenge of experimenting with the Klingon Language Version, "how might I explain this to a Klingon?" is really a way for me to translate these words into my own life. It may seem fanciful - and not altogether practical - but it has real consequences. I don't expect Klingons or aliens to show up any time soon, but when I wrestle with HOW to render something in Klingon, I gain personal insight into the application of the Scriptures in my life.

Some time ago I tried to translate the wa'maH chutmey - the ten commandments. I tried, not so much to literally translate, but to present the meanings of the commandments (http://members.aol.com/jpklingon/10c.html). I didn't do it to teach catechetical instruction - but it was, for me a bit of catechism, because it made me break the commandments down into the simplest terms I could (remember the small lexicon we have to work with). While not many tlhInganpu' will read what I did I'VE read it - and that's made a difference to me to reflect on and pray over these chutmey, these laws of the LORD. And when we do that, God can touch us, lead us and instruct us by his word.

joH'a' chutmey 'oH teH, je QaQtaHghach altogether.

The LORD's ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:9b

Say' - Clean

The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Say', enduring reH.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. Ps 19:9a

(click for podcast)

nuqjatlh? This isn't the first time our wanderings through the Psalms has made us face what must be perplexing. At least this might be perplexing to humans, but Klingons - would understand this praise of fear. For fear is NOT a bad thing.

The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Say', enduring reH.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. Ps 19:9a

The Hebrew here is "yira" - the same word we hear in Psalm 23's "I will fear no evil."

I've used taHvIp (afraid-to-go-on) as fear because, well, there isn't a Klingon word FOR fear. The closest is "ghIj", to scare - you do see that word appear in translation as fear, for example:

not qoHpu''e' neH ghIjlu'. // Only fools have no fear.

And that's worth noting, not just for considering the vocabulary, but to recognize that Klingons, like the Bible, recognize that FEAR CAN be positive; you'd be a fool to ignore it.

We're told here that it's CLEAN. Say' in Klingon, or tahowr in Hebrew, from a root meaning to "be bright."

What does that mean - how does "fear" "cleanse"?


Considering Psalm 19:9, Charles Spurgeon notes:

The doctrine of truth is here described by its spiritual effect,... inward piety, or the fear of the Lord; this is clean in itself, and cleanses out the love of sin, sanctifying the heart in which it reigns. Mr. Godly fear is never satisfied till every street, lane, and alley, yea, and every house and every corner ... is clean...

This is to our benefit - and it explains the Pslamist's word "enduring forever", because as Spurgeon continues:

"Filth brings decay, but cleanness is the great foe of corruption. The grace of God in the heart being a pure principle, is also an abiding and incorruptible principle, which may be crushed for a time, but cannot be utterly destroyed."

It's the difference between running shoes you take CARE of, or mildewy sneakers that have been "put away wet": THEY won't last. Ill treated things just don't last. The fear of the LORD cleanses - sets priorities, makes us give things up as we face our own shortcomings in light of God's Word.

Proverbs describes "the fear of the LORD" this way:

The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Daq muS mIghtaHghach. jIH muS pride, arrogance, the mIghtaHghach way, je the perverse nuj.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. (Proverbs 8:13)

What a terrific "todo list!" - I need to use it, to consider my life, my habits and ways and use it to, with God's help, root out all those things that weigh me down, that keep me from shining bright as God regards me!

The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Say', enduring reH.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. Ps 19:9a

Quch - Joy

Πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε , ἀδελφοί μου , ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις 

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials

Count 'oH Hoch Quch, wIj loDnI'pu', ghorgh SoH pum Daq various temptations   James 1:2

(click for podcast)

This morning I had to alter my normal bike route.  I needed to swing by the ATM as well as drop off an overdue book at the library.  So I found myself biking down an unfamiliar street.  As I moved through, I spotted a flash of movement - a bird?  No, it was a paper airplane.  When I looked again, I saw its "pilot,"  a 7 year old barefoot boy in his pajamas, happily launching his plane into the air again and again.

I can't say why, but that moment just gave me a lift.  As I sailed on to work, I thought of him, enjoying a warm summer morning, standing, running and leaping in his front yard to fly on his wings of paper.

The apostle James, in his letter to believers scattered throughout the known world, reminds us

Consider it all joy  Count 'oH Hoch Quch

As we've spread farther across Earth,  as we spread out into the solar system and beyond, we need to hear those words.

This joy spoken of in the Bible - Xara in the Greek, is cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight - something I think I saw in that boy as he launched out into the morning skies with his airplane.  It's what James advises us to find in the midst of lifes trials.  Never forget - the Bible is NOT unrealistic.  The call to joy isn't blind optimism, but a trusting faith that relies on a loving God to lead us through trouble.

Certainly no Klingon would think that Quch - happiness - was found denying the difficulties of life.  But Klingons would NOT let those trials prevent them from finding the Quch, the Joy in life as we do find it.

Whether we speak of JOY, or XARA or QUCH - remember, that calm delight is indeed what God wants you to find.  This is what Jesus is promising when he says:

              tlhob, je SoH DichDaq Hev, vetlh lIj Quch may taH chenmoHta' teblu'ta'.

              Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.  John 16:24

This summer day, as you have opportunity, kick off your shoes!  Run through the grass!  Take delight in God's love and the reassurance that he does indeed desire that  lIj Quch may taH chenmoHta' teblu'ta' - your joy may be made full.

tIq - Heart

joH'a' precepts 'oH nIH, rejoicing the tIq. joH'a' ra'ta'ghach mu' ghaH pure, enlightening the mInDu'.

The LORD's precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. The LORD's commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.  PS 19:8

(click for podcast)

This summer is turning out to be a busy one for me.  It's my own fault - I tried out for - and got in - a musical.  That's only one of the reasons I haven't had much time for podcasts, but it's a big one.  It's been a long time since I was in a show like this - I'd forgotten how much it was like taking a second job.  Despite the work, it's a great group and really a lot of fun.

If you've ever been in a show, you'll know that, among other things the work includes the task of memorizing the music and words you're expected to sing and say.  This is somthing you can't fudge - you've got to get it right.  You need to know those words by heart.  The words have to be ready at the moment you're expected to say (or sing) them. AND EVERYONE in the show has to do this - you need to be ready and quickly say your part in turn.  When you do, the show comes to life.

The psalmist here reminds us of the power of bringing the Word to your heart   When it goes IN to your heart - it can give a rejoicing heart, and it gives you an OUTLOOK, a way to look and see clearly.

As the NLT puts it:

The commandments of the LORD are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
    The commands of the LORD are clear,
giving insight to life.

Today, we think of "the heart" -(lebh in Hebrew, or tIq in Klingon) as "the emotions."  It's often contrasted with our logical, mental side - but this isn't the Biblical picture, for the heart encompasses the whole range of our inner life.  We go too far when we think we can divide our selves into pieces, like parts of a machine.  As Easton's Bible Dictionary notes:

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case. The heart is the "home of the personal life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. ...The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15). 

When we take this word into our heart, our leb, in the Hebrew, or tIq in Klingon - we can rejoice.  Not because we've stored up something and are holding it inside, but because that word, once inside, drives us with a new outlook - it can give us the "script" as it were to guide us in our lives.

In less than two weeks I'll be on a stage with dozens of other cast members putting on a show.  We've had the scripts for weeks and have all been working on this show.  IF we only learned the words, and held them in our mental filing cabinets - well, the show would be a bust.  But when we learn it all by heart, and then use those words to ACT, to interact, to laugh and sing - we will bring our story to life.  

And it's a reminder that all of us need to store up God's word in our heart - not as more index cards in our mental file, but the script for our lives, to drive our actions!

joH'a' precepts 'oH nIH, rejoicing the tIq. joH'a' ra'ta'ghach mu' ghaH pure, enlightening the mInDu'.

The LORD's precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. The LORD's commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.  PS 19:8

chut - law!

joH'a' chut ghaH perfect, restoring the qa'. joH'a' testimony ghaH sure, making val the nap.

The LORD's law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD's testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7

(click for podcast)

What do you think of when you hear the word "law?" Do you picture a courtroom, a judge, a politician or a police officer? Maybe you think of a scientist or engineer, defining the limits of the Universe, and learning how to extend our knowledge and ablility to use creation.

The problem is, of course, "law" is a small word that covers a tremendous amount of territory. From the details of life and personal relations, to the farthest limits of the cosmos, we use "law" to encompass rules of nature and commerce and politics and more. One dictionary I looked at had 26 different entries!

chut is the Klingon word for law. Like our English term, it's short - and doesn't give us much hint at how to apply it. I actually didn't come across any USES of the term in the online tools I have on hand - so we don't know too much about how flexibly Klingon's use "chut."

joH'a' chut ghaH perfect, restoring the qa'. joH'a' testimony ghaH sure, making val the nap.

The LORD's law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD's testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7

But what does the Bible mean when it speaks of Law? Barnes notes:

The word used here - torah - is that which is commonly employed in the Old Testament with reference to the law of God, and is usually rendered "law." The word properly means "instruction," "precept," from a verb signifying "to teach." It is then used with reference to instruction or teaching in regard to conduct, and is thus applied to all that God has communicated to guide mankind. It does not here, nor does it commonly, refer exclusively to the commands of God, but it includes all that God has revealed to teach and guide us.

We can tell a lot by context. Sometimes when you hear someone and you miss a word, you can infer the meaning or the missing word by the context - I think that works here. When the psalmist talks about the law what does he tell us about it? It "restores the soul" and it "makes wise the simple."

It's so easy to hear a word like "law" and conjure up oppressive images - judgment, conviction and punishment. But the aim, the intent of God's law is to bring us to life, to revive us, to guide us toward wisdom. The Life Application Bible observes:

When we think of the law, we often think of something that keeps us from having fun. But here we see the opposite: God’s laws revive us, make us wise, bring joy to the heart, give insight, warn us, and reward us. God’s laws are guidelines and lights for our path, rather than chains on our hands and feet. They point at danger to warn us, then point at success to guide us.

Certainly there is "law" in the sense of rules - the ten commandments is a key example of that - but that part of the law is only the beginning. Especially when we recognize that - however we define God's rules - we'll never measure up. The law in such a sense doesn't tell us "how to get on God's good side" - rather is shows us how much we fall short and need his mercy - as Paul says "For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard" (Romans 3:23). Here's the wisdom we find in the law - when we try to measure up, we discover how short we fall.

But there's more - the part of this "law" that encompasses God's teaching can revive us - for Paul reminds us

God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Eph. 2:8,9)

As the LAB notes

We become Christians through God’s unmerited favor, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service.

joH'a' chut ghaH perfect, restoring the qa'. joH'a' testimony ghaH sure, making val the nap.

The LORD's law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD's testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7

Call it Torah, Law, or chut - the Scriptures give us a testimony that is far more than a rule book. It gives us LIFE, pointing out not only how we are in need, but how freely God meets that need. To which I can only say HIja'! YES!

juHHom - Tent

Daq chaH ghaH ghajtaH cher a juHHom vaD the pemHov... Daj ghoS vo' ghaH vo' the pItlh vo' the chal, Daj circuit Daq its ends

In them he has set a tent for the sun... His going forth is from the end of the heavens,
his circuit to its ends;
Psalm 19:4,6

(click for podcast)

Tents move.

That is, no one thinks a tent - no matter how big or sturdy - is permanent. Tents are made to be temporary. They are homes for people ON THE MOVE.

I don't know if Klingons go camping - at least not the sort of recreational camping we humans partake of on earth. There is a word in Klingon (raQ) for 'camp,' but as it is considered a military term, so I suspect it refers to a military encampment. Likewise, I don't know of a term for "tent" so I've used juHHom - juH, house, plus the diminutive suffix -Hom. juHHom, little house, or cottage. That isn't entirely inconsistent with the Hebrew 'ohel used here, which is translated as home, tabernacle, AND tent.

Daq chaH ghaH ghajtaH cher a juHHom vaD the pemHov... Daj ghoS vo' ghaH vo' the pItlh vo' the chal, Daj circuit Daq its ends

In them he has set a tent for the sun... His going forth is from the end of the heavens,
his circuit to its ends;
Psalm 19:4,6

This verse from Psalm 19 conjures up a picture: the sun in the sky bursts from its temporary home, its tent, and it runs its course like an eager bridegroom on his way to his wedding. The sun sweeps across the sky - the tent, the tabernacle containing the sun does not nail it down in one place, as it were.

This verse follows the Psalmist's exalting over how creation - the stars and heavens - tell us of God. I'd suggest that the imagery here continues to tell us that just as the sun explodes from out of its tent, God's Word, his message needs to not be shut up in any tent or tabernacle.

Daq chaH ghaH ghajtaH cher a juHHom vaD the pemHov... Daj ghoS vo' ghaH vo' the pItlh vo' the chal, Daj circuit Daq its ends

In them he has set a tent for the sun... His going forth is from the end of the heavens,
his circuit to its ends;
Psalm 19:4,6

The "tent" is a familar part of the middle eastern culture from which we get the Bible. The Hebrew word here ('ohel) is used hundreds of times across Scripture - so of course the word juHHom that I've used in the KLV is seen over and over again. Usually it is fairly literal, describing homes, encampments and other dwelling places.

I'm familiar with these too, since, when I go camping, I use a tent. BUT - I don't stay in the tent. I move, I explore, I experience the wonder and I rejoice that God has shared his creation with us. I think we're being reminded that God's word is intended to MOVE, to be shared, to get on with things - and to MOVE us believers to make a difference. It doesn't stay still - we shouldn't expect it to. Likewise, we can make sure it doesn't stay "in the tent" when we share it with our actions and our words.

The sun doesn't stay "in the tent" - it moves out and gives light to the world. We who have the gift of faith need to see that we do the same.

ghoghmey vIQoy

pa' ghaH ghobe' speech ghobe' language, nuqDaq chaj ghogh ghaH ghobe' Qoyta'. chaj ghogh ghajtaH ghoSta' pa' vegh Hoch the tera', chaj mu'mey Daq the pItlh vo' the qo'.

There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard. Their voice has gone out through all the earth, Their words to the end of the world. Psalms 19:3-4a

(click for podcast)

ghorghmey vIQoy - I hear voices. I have an odd, and ever growing collection of gadgets. Radios, phonograph turntable, tape, CD and mp3 players - and all of them let me hear voices. So, thanks to them, ghoghmey vIQoy - I hear voices. The psalmist tells us that, throughout creation we hear voices too. Non-voice voices, actually. You'll find, if you examine different translations of these verses there is some variety of opinion on how to translate these words. Some say

There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard. Their voice has gone out through all the earth (WEB)

while others say,

They speak without a sound or a word;their voice is silent in the skies (NLT)

On far side of those variations we find a strong affirmation: Creation has a MESSAGE - a voice. Perhaps there are not words as such, nor sound, but bottom line, nature has SOMETHING important to tell us. And this is a "word" available to all - every nation, every continent and creed (every PLANET, even!). This might sound like a free pass - what do we need to do if God has already broadcast his message in the stars? Well, as the Life Application Bible points out:

The apostle Paul referred to this psalm when he explained that everyone knows about God because nature proclaims God’s existence and power (Romans 1:19, 20). This does not cancel the need for missions because the message of God’s salvation found in his Word, the Bible, must still be told to the ends of the earth. While nature points to the existence of God, the Bible tells us about God’s plan of salvation. God’s people must explain to others how they can have a relationship with God. Although most people believe in a Creator because of the evidence of nature around them, they need to know about his love, mercy, and grace. What are you doing to take God’s message to the world?

pa' ghaH ghobe' speech ghobe' language, nuqDaq chaj ghogh ghaH ghobe' Qoyta'.
There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard.

The Klingon word ghogh is how voice,the Hebrew word qowl, is translated here. Appearing over 400 times in the Bible it comes from a root meaning "to call aloud" and is translated in quite a few ways - cry, lowing, noise, proclamation, voice, and yell - to name a few. You might also be familiar with the word from the name of the Israeli radio station: "Kol Israel" - the Voice of Israel.

Here's a thought: Creation has a voice that "speaks" of God. As general revelation believers say that Nature is one means God has of speaking to us, just as specific revelation, the Bible, is another. Now one aspect of revelation is to MODEL - to give us guidance to our actions. Considering that, we might take the example of nature, of God's revelation, as an example, to user OUR voice - ghoghmaj - to speak with words - and without - by our actions to add our testimony to God.

pa' ghaH ghob
e' speech ghobe' language, nuqDaq chaj ghogh ghaH ghobe' Qoyta'.
There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard.

God has given you a voice - let it be heard!

They Display Knowledge....

jaj after jaj chaH pour vo' speech, je ram after ram chaH display Sov.

Day after day they pour forth speech, And night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:2

(click for podcast)

chu' tlhaq vIje'pu' - that's Klingon for: I bought a new watch.

For years - over ten years, I'm sure - I've used the same watch - the official Timex "tlhIngan tlhaq" (I even have a spare). I've used it so long I've gone through half a dozen bands to keep it on my wrist. It's a great watch not only with cool Klingon labelling, it has lots of useful features, and I've kept it as a backup - but it was time for a change.

My new watch is NOT digital. It's completly mechanical and self-winding. What I particularly like about it is HOW very mechanical it is - from the face and the back you can see inside to the works, and see its action as it ticks away the seconds, minutes and hours. My wife says it makes her tired to see how hard it works - but I like it.

jaj after jaj chaH pour vo' speech, je ram after ram chaH display Sov.

Day after day they pour forth speech, And night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:2

Like my watch, day after day, night after night, show us the action of God in creation. The order of each day, followed by night are like the works of my watch, ticking away.

Likewise, the stars and planets, as they wheel past in the sky, expose us to the intricate detail of God's handiwork, and they can make us pause to admire, and appreciate what God has done.

I'm alluding to what is called the "watchmaker" argument for the existence of God. Just as - if you discovered my watch lying in a field, you wouldn't think it "just happened to be there" - its presence is the evidence of the actions of some person or people (someone made it, someone lost it). Just so, the details and movement of nature testify to the actions of a creator.

Not everyone is convinced. Skeptical authors have pointed to natural causes and mechanisms that CAN evolve and develop complexity in nature. They have a point - but I don't find that dilutes the power of the watchmaker analogy - it only pushes the question of "who did this?" back further. Such natural causes in making the complexity I find in creation are like... finding a robotic factory that was making watches. True - there might be no person making the watches, but where did the factory come from? Who designed it? Who made the robots?

jaj after jaj chaH pour vo' speech, je ram after ram chaH display Sov.

Day after day they pour forth speech, And night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:2

The word used here for knowledge, da'at in Hebrew, appears about 90 times in the Bible - related to the common word "yada" to know - it's translated by the Klingon word Sov (knowledge, or "to know"). It reminds me that nature, the Universe - ALL of Creation - is not simply a show or an entertainment. It is part, along with the Scriptures, of God's revelation to us. We need to attend to it, and with eyes of faith, see how dependable, and steadfast God is.

We need more, surely. Without the witness of the Word, we'd not know of His love, we'd not know of his commandments, and the blessings promised to believers. But it IS a start.

Albert Barnes notes:

Day unto day - One day to another; or, each successive day. The day that is passing away proclaims the lesson which it had to convey from the movements of the heavens, about God; and thus the knowledge of God is accumulating as the time moves on. Each day has its own lesson in regard to the wisdom, the power, and the goodness of God, and that lesson is conveyed from one day to another. There is a perpetual testimony thus given to the wisdom and power of the Great Creator.

I love to watch the gears moving away, driving the hands of my new watch. I can't imagine the craftsmanship to design, let alone construct this device. And it doesn't present even a fraction of the complexity of even a corner of this Universe. Surely that should make me pause, and give thanks to the one who put it all together!

ghop vum - Handiwork

The expanse shows Daj ghop vum. Ps 19:1b

The expanse shows his handiwork.

(click for podcast version)

I've got an Altoids tin. To be honest, I've actually got lots of them. Like many people, I've found those sturdy little containers are just too handy to throw away. They're great for collecting odds and ends, and I've used them for that.

But I'm thinking of a very specific tin - it was one the smaller Altoids chewing gum tins. It doesn't really look much different from their gum tins.... except if you turned it over you'd discover there was a USB socket sticking out of one end. If you opened it, you'd discover it had a pair of AA batteries, a battery holder, and a circuit board. What you'd find is EVIDENCE, evidence of my ghop vum - my hand's work: handiwork.

Nobody looking at this would think it "just happened" - they'd assume (and they'd be right) that somebody planned to make this gum tin into something else. In this case it's a "minty boost" kit, a portable charger for iPods and mp3 players. It's a neat gadget I made from a kit to recharge the mp3 player on which I'm recording this podcast.

The expanse shows Daj ghop vum. Ps 19:1b

The expanse shows his handiwork.

The Bible reminds believers that when they look up into the sky, when they look deep into nature they see something - not something that HAPPENED by chance, but something that was planned and put together. It's craftsmanship, what the WEB and other translations call handiwork - a translation of two Hebrew words, maaseh (an action or work) and yad (hand). The sky shows us God's hand AT work. The word "handiwork" only appears once in the WEB or the KJV. The NLT uses the term "craftsmanship" for this Hebrew phrase - and likewise it only appears the one time in the whole Bible.

This is a very THIN slice of God. If you came across my gadget-in-the-altoids tin, you'd know it was handiwork, but learn very little about me. Maybe you'd form an opinion of my soldering skills, but you'd know little about my likes and dislikes. You wouldn't even know WHAT I used this gadget FOR - just that someone came along and MADE THIS change in an otherwise innocent and unassuming metal box.

But - it's a start. In the Bible, we hear Jesus say: "Look! Here I stand at the door and knock" - when nature throws us clues in the magnificence of creation, that's one of the ways the door is being knocked upon.

As I noted in my last podcast - when we see these notes and signposts that point us to God - we need to follow through, we need to seek out more than a mystical moment of inspiration. Across the centuries in the Scriptures and in the lives of fellow believers, we can find testimony that will draw us closer to Him,to the one who made this universe, who wants us to get to know him better. In the Bible we can learn not just that the Universe WAS made, but by whom. And we can learn about his love and plan for our lives.

God's handiwork is all around - His power and his steadfast creation is all around you, knocking on the door of your awareness. Open the door!

The expanse shows Daj ghop vum. Ps 19:1b

The expanse shows his handiwork.

Chal - Heavens!

The chal declare the batlh vo' joH'a'. The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalms 19:1

(click for podcast)

In grade school I drew a picture of my "house of the future," what I envisioned back in the 60's as the ultimate hightech lair. It was domed, set way out in the ocean, and featured an underwater "garage" for my submarine and had an observatory with telescope on the top.

I doubt it's a surprise that my house today doesn't have most of the details of that drawing. On the other hand - I do have the telescope. It's a simple refractor, bought mail order - but I've used it to see Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. And, though I've got no observatory - we have skylights, which at the right time of year have a terrific view of the moon.

The chal declare the batlh vo' joH'a'. The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalms 19:1

Peter Kreeft says the arguments for God's existence can be divided into "two basic groups: those which take their data from without—cosmological arguments—and those that take it from within—psychological arguments."

These words nicely delineate a very basic "cosmological argument" for God's existence - simply seeing the heavens points to their maker.

For many it may be hard to appreciate this if, like me, you live in a busy light-polluted city. But hop in your spaceship and get up and out into the black to look out, or drive far from the street lights, out to the country and look up. You'll see an endless tapestry of beauty - countless stars and galaxies - with a complexity we can only wonder at. Lacking that - you might take a look at google.com/sky - a new online observatory that Google has put online recently - your web browser can take you out into the Universe!

Internet, auto or spaceship - however you find your way to the sky - you may be moved to declare with the psalmist

The chal declare the batlh vo' joH'a'. The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalms 19:1

The word "chal" here is the Klingon word for "sky" and I've used it nearly 500 times in the KLV to represent heaven, heavens and skies in the WEB. It's not surprising that The Hebrew word here is likewise very frequent - nearly 400 times - shamayim, heard in the very first verse of the Bible

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

St. Paul reminds us that the witness of creation should point us to God

From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20 NLT)

The Life Application Bible notes:

What kind of God does nature reveal? Nature shows us a God of might, intelligence, and intricate detail; a God of order and beauty; a God who controls powerful forces. That is general revelation. Through special revelation (the Bible and the coming of Jesus), we learn about God’s love and forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. God has graciously given us many sources that we might come to believe in him.

The heavens are a tremendous witness to God's power. Such a witness takes us out of ourselves, makes us look past our own problems and limitations - it's fantastic. But if it ends there it's only artwork, only something to admire. What can change our lives is when we turn from the experience of creation and join in with believers - believers of this time and through the ages as we hear the witness Scriptures and the lives God's Word has touched. May you find that loving community today!

The chal declare the batlh vo' joH'a'. The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalms 19:1

Changing Gears!

yIlegh, jIH 'oH making Hoch Dochmey chu' Behold, I am making all things new. Rev 21:5

(podcast version)

Nothing major - I've just decided that, for now, I'm not happy with the "going through the Klingon Alphabet" plan I've been working on, and I've decided to switch back to working through a Psalm verse-by-verse. I found that a happier approach (for one, I can print out a nice set of references to carry with me, plus I think it gives me a better focus). I'm aiming at starting with Psalm 19 soon, so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for an interesting, thoughtful, and entertaining - if very unorthodox - book about studying the Bible, I recommend AJ Jacobs "The Year of Living Biblically."

QIDpu'ghachmey - Wounds

QIDpu'ghachmey - Wounds

ghaH heals the ghorta' Daq tIq, je binds Dung chaj QIDpu'ghachmey.
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

(click for podcast version)

Here is what I think of as an anchor verse - one of those rocks in Scripture that stand out with a strong word of promise - a word that we need to hear. It comes as part of a promise to the Israelites in exile and, as the great British preacher Spurgeon notes, it shows us the tender side of God:

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. This the Holy Spirit mentions as a part of the glory of God, and a reason for our declaring his praise: the Lord is not only a Builder, but a Healer; he restores broken hearts as well as broken walls

But to benefit from such a promise - well - to benefit, you need to admit that you REQUIRE healing.

ropchoHbe' tlhInganpu'

That's a quaint Klingon expression that means "Klingons do not get sick."

Now, of COURSE they DO get sick - but it isn't in the Klingon culture to admit it. Especially in a military situation, where the ship's doctor could declare you unfit for battle. A Klingon does NOT want to be in such a position - they'd rather fight hurt than accept their weakness, to admit the need for healing.

That is why verse from Psalm 147 may not be easy for a Klingon to understand - for it zeroes in on the tender care that God offers when he comes to us as the Great Physician.

And - when you get down to it - how often and how readily do humans admit when we need help? How easy it is to pretend our heart is not broken, that we have no wounds we need healed.

ghaH heals the ghorta' Daq tIq, je binds Dung chaj QIDpu'ghachmey.
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

QIDpu'ghachmey is the word I used here to represent 'atstsebeth - a rare word, only appearing about five times in the Bible, based on a word for "engraving" - think CUT. The Klingon word is formed from the verb QID (to wound), with the intensifier -pu' and then made into a noun with the -ghach suffix. Finally I made it plural with -mey: QIDpu'ghachmey. In our survey of the alphabet, this is the word starting with capital-Q. Since it translates Hebrew words and Greek across the whole Bible you'll find it more frequently (29 times currently) in the KLV.


What wounds have you suffered? In a world filled with loss - from loved ones, to jobs, to physical injury, no one is a stranger to the broken heart - that is why this short verse is such a treasure. As Spurgeon explains:

Behold, the Most High has to do with the sick and the sorry, with the wretched and the wounded! He walks the hospitals as the good Physician! His deep sympathy with mourners is a special mark of his goodness. Few will associate with the despondent, but Jehovah chooses their company, and abides with them till he has healed them by his comforts. He deigns to handle and heal broken hearts: he himself lays on the ointment of grace, and the soft bandages of love, and thus binds up the bleeding wounds of those convinced of sin. This is compassion like a God. Well may those praise him to whom he has acted o gracious a part. The Lord is always healing and binding: this is no new work to him, he has done it of old; and it is not a thing of the past of which he is now weary, for he is still healing and still binding, as the original hath it. Come, broken hearts, come to the Physician who never fails to heal: uncover your wounds to him who so tenderly binds them up!

ghaH heals the ghorta' Daq tIq, je binds Dung chaj QIDpu'ghachmey.
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

'IJ - Listen

'Ij, joH'a' vo' Jacob. Listen, God of Jacob. Ps 84:8

(click for podcast version)

Listen.

In Klingon the word is 'Ij, Mando'a, sushir In what is called Federation standard in Star Trek - or Basic in Star Wars, (that is to say, English) LISTEN is a verb and can be a command. The same speaker, simply can by context and emphasis change the word from a description of an activity to an outright demand. To what do you listen? If you're like me (and if you're listening to this, I suspect you might be) you listen to podcasts. I listen to a lot of radio as well, from local AM and FM stations, to shortwave, to streaming internet. I'm a radio amateur as well, so I listen to voices from all over the word - and they can listen to me too. I also love audio books - so I've got quite a collection, from audio tapes to quite a few mp3 files. Last night as we were working on a messy project in my house (making some candy), we were watching a program on television - because of the project I had to keep leaving the room, so I grabbed my TV-radio receiver and tuned in to the audio portion of the show so as not to miss a thing. The common factor in all of that (radios, podcasts, audio books and such) is that I was actively involved in listening. I've made an effort, even applied technology, to LISTEN to the things I wanted to hear. Now - if WE do all that, to listen to all manner of mundane things - don't you think God is attending just as carefully to what WE are saying? After all, regarding prayer, Jesus says:

.. your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! (MT 6:8, NLT)

'Ij, joH'a' vo' Jacob. Listen, God of Jacob. Ps 84:8

nuqneH, the well known greeting used by Klingons is short and to the point, literally meaning "what (nuq) do you want (neH)?" Klingons do not linger over polite niceties. Likewise, this part of Psalm 84:8 has a Klingon feel to it - "Listen to ME, God!" Our word here is 'Ij, listen, and I'm using it to represent the letter I in tlhIngan Hol. I'd note that, in the standard representation of Klingon it is always capitalized. And if you're reading this, you'll notice that the 'I' is NOT the first letter - Klingon words never begin with a vowel. If they do, you'll find a consonant - usually ' (it looks like an apostrophe) as the first letter. That adds a catch, a glottal stop it is called, to the word. "Listen" is not ihj, but ah-ihj. For a real translation, not the word-replacement that the KLV is, we'd add an imperative prefix, perhaps saying jIH yI'Ij joH'a' - to-me Listen(!) God. (if you wanted to make it more formal you might add neS, yI'IjneS - "listen, Sir!") The Hebrew here is 'azan, a word that only occurs about 40 times in the Bible. The King James sets it as "give ear" (as it is here) and "hearken."

The Hebrew word 'azan can mean "to expand," to broaden out the ear - that is, just as WE use tools to improve our ability to LISTEN to things from radio to podcasts, the Psalmist is calling on God to do the same. LISTEN! Pay ATTENTION to me!

'Ij, joH'a' vo' Jacob. Listen, God of Jacob. Ps 84:8

Now - do you think God needs to be reminded? As Psalm 38 notes, Lord, all my desire is before you. My groaning is not hidden from you.
He does know - as Jesus said - what we need. He doesn't HAVE to be reminded - but here's the deal - he WANTS us to call to him. Again and again the Bible commands us to call out to Him in prayer.

• I Chronicles 16:11: Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more.
• Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.
• Luke 18:1: He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
• Philippians 4:6: In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
• Colossians 4:2: Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;
• I Thessalonians 5:17: Pray without ceasing.
• James 5:13: Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.

He wants us to call - and he will listen. When we pray with the psalmist for God to listen - be assured, this prayer will be answered.

'Ij, joH'a' vo' Jacob. Listen, God of Jacob. Ps 84:8

HIja' - Yes

HIja', ghobe' wa' 'Iv waits vaD SoH DIchDaq taH shamed.
Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. (Psalm 25:3)

(click for podcast version)

Our survey of the Klingon alphabet has reached a great word - YES - and as a benefit, you'll get the word for "NO." This might not make you a fluent Klingon speaker, but it's a good start.

We've now reached the Klingon letter "H" - it looks like a capital "h" when you see it in print, and it's pronounced like the ch at the end of Bach or the beginning of Chanukah. The word is "HIja'" - yes

It's what you might say if you were asked "lhIngan Hol Dajatlh'a'?" - do you speak Klingon? At least that's what you'd say if you were confident enough to communicate with any Klingon you were fortunate enough to meet. If not, the next word in our verse from Psalm 25, ghobe', NO, is what you'd answer (though of course the Klingon MIGHT think you were a liar if you answered in Klingon - be careful).

HIja', ghobe' wa' 'Iv waits vaD SoH DIchDaq taH shamed.
Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. (Psalm 25:3)

In Hebrew, the word translated as HIja' is "gam," a short word used adverbally to mean a variety of things. It's familiar to us as the word "yea" in Psalm 23 "yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death," and here also affirms a statement, the wonderful promise "no one who waits for you shall be shamed."

I subscribe to a daily newspaper, more than a half dozen magazines, and hundreds of RSS feeds. Many, maybe most, of them provide news or commentary on what is happening in our world - and I'd be happy to say it was, well a happy story - but it isn't. There is so much that makes us worry, so many ways the world says to us ghobe' - "NO." That's not a surprise to a believer. This is, I'd say, a message that echoes the Bible - when we read of our failings, of how short we fall of what God intended for us. As Paul says "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 ), and the prophet Isaiah, as well, reminding us "All we like sheep have gone astray; everyone has turned to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6)

But - we don't despair, because the WHOLE of scripture is more than this - the Bible has GOSPEL, Good NEWS!, as well:

St. Peter reminds us: he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises ( 2 Peter 1:4 ) and St. Paul underlines for us how God offers us a great big HIja', YES -

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not "Yes and no," but in him is "Yes." For however many are the promises of God, in him is the "Yes." Therefore also through him is the "Amen," to the glory of God through us. (2 Corinthians 1:19, 20 )

and in another place he adds:

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:11-13 )

What do we say to this? This affirmation, this treasury of promise of rescue, of salvation, that God offers us? Well I know the Klingon word - HIja'!!! YES!

HIja', ghobe' wa' 'Iv waits vaD SoH DIchDaq taH shamed.
Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. (Psalm 25:3)