I’m sure you have heard of the holy city of Jerusalem. Well, the name is made up of two Hebrew words. The first word is ‘jir•oo’ which can mean ‘will see’ or ‘will feel the awe.’ The second word is ‘sha•lem’ which means wholeness. You may notice this word is similar to Shalom, which means inner peace. Same root word and everything. Inner peace and wholeness are very much related after all. My ultimate point is that Jerusalem literally means, they will see wholeness. Or they will feel the awe of wholeness. I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t a bit prophetic. Jesus did end up his earthly ministry in Jerusalem after all. He most certainly showed them the way of wholeness via the gospel. Even if they had felt it as well, they obviously didn’t all receive it or accepted it. Which maybe sheds light on Jesus’ words after being rebuked by the Pharisees upon his triumphal entry.
“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”-Luke 19:41-42
The Old Testament is the long sad story of the Jews failing to live up to the standard of righteousness. Yet most were blind to the key they were given that would have allowed them to succeed. This is even more sad. I also find it sad that 2000 years later, most people are ignorant of the role wholeness plays in our ability to live the full truth of the gospel.
If someone severely burnt their hands while working, would you just call them stupid for doing that and tell them to get back to work? No, you treat and bind their wounds in hopes that they may one day be productive again. If the person you were training to run a Marathon broke their leg, would you expect them to run it anyway? No, you give them proper time to recover first, knowing there is always another marathon. Yet we as the church expect people to live righteously without addressing the lack of wholeness in their hearts and spirit. Or just marginalize the concept of righteousness, knowing nobody can live it as we understand it. The lack of wholeness in individual people is leading to a lack of wholeness in the church. The result is, the church is failing to show and instill awe where this broken world truly needs it now.
We live in an age where most Christians only care to learn enough to validate their feelings and assumptions. So I challenge you to look past that, not just for the sake of your soul, but for the sake of the church universal, and the God you supposedly profess.
“In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” -Matthew 13:14
“Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”” -Luke 10:23-24
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”” -Luke 11:34-36
“Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”” -Luke 10:23-24
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”” -Luke 11:34-36
