A 'rhema' moment

I attended a GRIP retreat over the weekend and before we had our devotional, a staff member shared a brief message. He told us about a ‘rhema’ moment he had not too long ago. Rhema is one of two greek words (logos being the other) that’s translated into ‘scripture’ or ‘word’. However, the connotation with rhema is that it is spoken word; words that engage us . Along with having a rhema moment, he urged us to find a verse for the year. My quest for rhema was to begin in Psalm 119, (surely I’d be able to find one verse in that chapter). However, I did not make it that far. I glimpsed at Psalm 118 and had my rhema moment. “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever” (emphasis mine). Why does that phrase stand out to engage me with God?

With two viewings of Avatar and reading a recent Op-Ed (in the previous post), the ideology of ‘Eywa’ is pretty fresh in my mind. We learn in the movie that Eywa is the deity of the Na’Vi (a tribe of indigenous people); analogous to ‘Mother Earth’ and that the Na’Vi people engage in activities resembling worship of Eywa. As Johnsully (the human playing the Avatar) prays to Eywa before a defining moment in the movie we learn that this deity ‘does not choose sides but rather balances life’. Without revealing too much of the movie, our emotions are moved when we see that Eywa responds to the prayer and intervenes on behalf of the indigenous people.

Revisiting Psalm 118:1, we learn that the God of the universe is good. I don’t believe the writer intends to say that God is a ‘good boy’ but rather God and His glory is the definition of good, a stark contrast of Eywa. (A side note, in Genesis 1 we see where God imparts His glory as being good). Eywa is a deity that does not engage with it’s created but rather manages energy, houses the voices of generations past and is willing to intervene in the interest of self-preservation. However, God is love (1 John 4:8) and seeks to reconcile all created things to Him (Colossians 1:20). So when the writer says in Psalm 118:1 to give thanks, it’s really the only response we can express when we experience the grace of God.

On a personal note, I’ve been told by multiple people that they feel that 2010 is going to be a ‘good year for me’. I’ve had several discussions with folks on what that statement means and how that might be characterized or measured. Reading the rest of Psalm 118, most people would probably agree that those experiences wouldn’t characterize a good year (especially verse 18). (Around the time I arrive to this verse during my devotional, I hear the praise team rehearsing “Forever”, I digress…). Whatever may happen this year, I know that God will brings situations and experiences where He will receive the glory and I’m eagerly anticipating them.