Verklempt

At we approach worship today we are asked to reflect on:

1 Samuel 2:9

“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

    but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,

    for not by might shall a man prevail."

This verse divides the world between "his faithful ones" and the "wicked".  There is nothing in-between.  One is "guarded" and the other is "cut off" in darkness:

• The word for "cut off" (damam) is the sound one makes when too shocked to speak intelligently ("Verklempt" might be a good modern Yidish equivalent).  
• The word for "guard" (shamar) is first used in scripture for the job that God assigned to man.  That to keep the garden.

Imagine please the mighty man that suddenly finds that the might, on which he depended, was suddenly overpowered and insufficient.  This could be a robber coming from a dark corner, the doctor speaking the dreaded diagnosis, or unseen virus claiming a loved one.

It is hard for a mighty man to accept what a farmer knows.  That your success is dependent on God.  And, yes, if you were wondering, we are the seed!  

Enjoy being planted.