I Honored My Father

I Honored My Father

The morning Neil's nephew was to be Bar Mitzvah,  Neil and I were met in the parking lot of the synagogue by the rabbi. "I understand you two believe that Jesus is the Savior," he said. "Yes." He looked grim. "In that case I have to tell you that you won't be allowed on the bema. You'll have to stay seated. You will not take part in the service today."

We went inside and were seated in the packed sanctuary. One by one everyone from teachers to neighbors, Jews and Gentiles, were called up to take part in the Torah service. We were the only ones who had remained seated. Outside I sobbed----not for me; for Neil who wasn't able to participate in David's Bar Mitzvah. My sister-in-law came up to us and said, "Cheryl, I'm sorry but that's just the way it is." I snapped at her. "You know that BOOK everyone read out of today? Neil and I spend time every day reading it! What do your friends do with that book?"

I was angry and handled my feelings wrong, but my heart was broken. At that moment I knew what it meant: "Let the dead bury the dead; I knew that when my beloved father would die I would not be allowed on the bema to pay my last respects.

Twenty years passed. My dad had developed Alzheimer's  Disease and was in the hospital with complications. I had preached and begged and explained and read and sang everything I knew over the years to bring him to a saving knowledge of Christ. He seemed to 'like' the idea, but I never heard a commitment. When we were in the hospital that morning I said, "God! I don't ask for signs, but I need a sign that my father has accepted you as his Lord and Savior."

A stranger entered the room not long after. He walked passed all of us and stood against the wall by the window. "The angels are here to take Joe Samelson to heaven today," he announced. My heart leapt!  My sign! I knew!

It was Thanksgiving week-end. The rabbi was out of town and couldn't be reached to come back. My mother called Chicago to get the names of rabbis who could come officiate at my father's funeral. He brought us together interviewing the family about my father. Everyone said a few sentences and then it was my turn. I poured out the memories of my father. The rabbi said, "Cheryl, do you think you could do the eulogy for your father?" My heart exploded!

That night I practiced in my childhood bedroom. I  wept as I practiced  the words I would say. I said them  over and over and over  until I could say them with joy, not sorrow.

I suddenly realized: NOT ONLY COULD I APPROACH THE BEMA FOR MY FATHER. I WAS ABLE TO HONOR HIM BY GIVING THE EULOGY.

My precious father, Joseph Samelson, loved us all fiercely and dedicated his life to giving us all what we needed, no matter what the cost to him. The greatest gift he gave me was allowing me to honor him at his funeral.

God's Hands and Our Hands

 Women with a Vision Bible Study

Written by Cheryl Skid

God's Hands and Our Hands

Psalm 95: 3-5

3: For the Lord is a great God and A great King above all gods.

4: In His hand are the deep places of the earth the strength of the hills is His also.

5: The sea is His and He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.

Original Language

Deep Places   Mechkar. There are four consonants in this word: mem, chaf, koof, and resh. The meaning is changed by the vowels that appear as dots and dashes under the consonants. But the root is what matters in Hebrew--it's what matters to me. It's where I dig for meaning to open Scripture. So I dragged down my 3000 page Hebrew English Dictionary that I bought from a traveling dictionary salesman in Ashdod 1966. And this is what I learned: deep places means research, study, inner depth.

Strength  TOAPHOT. Interesting that this word is plural, noted by the OT ending (feminine plural) The word means strength, height, eminence, strength, power.

Hills HAREEM. Why would the psalmist use such a lofty word in conjunction with hills? Hills aren't even high? They certainly aren't majestic? because hareem, in the Hebrew is mountains. Mount Everest is HAR Everest.

Formed YATZAR.  create, manufacture (see the word man in that word--which implies by hand?) fashion, form, produce, contrive, devise.

Dry YABESHET (in the Strong's it has a th on the end--and if you listen to the recorded pronunciation on line, the man says TH at the end. Plain and simple, Israelis don't pronounce th--ever. When I taught English in Ashdod and tried to get the students to say it by sticking their tongues between their teeth and blowing they dissolved in giggles)  This word means dry land or mainland. The word 'land' does not appear in the Scripture.

Let's look at Scripture to Learn More

Read the following Scriptures to discover what God's Hands produce, provide or accomplish.

Genesis 49:24 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How can you receive help from God's hands, judging from that Scripture?

2 Chronicles 6:4 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What came first? God's mouth or God's hands? ________________What can that teach us about how we conduct our lives and expect to experience success? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hebrews 10:31 gives another aspect of God's hands. What can you deduce from this Scripture ? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Let's take a look at what the Word says about our hands.

Ex 35:25 Women were praised for using their hands in this example. What kinds of things do you do with your hands that are praiseworthy? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lev 7:30. What do you think is the implication of bringing the offering with one's own hands? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Deut 14:19. How has God blessed the work of YOUR hands? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Deut 31:21 What kinds of things can we do with our hands that are corrupt and anger the Lord? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Judges 2:14. Sometimes God uses other people's hands to punish His own beloved people. Does this confuse you? _________________________________________ Can you think of examples? _______________________________________________How does good come out of it? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mark 8:23 is one of many examples in which Jesus used His hands in ministering to people. What other examples can you name?  What do you think is the implication of the importance of Jesus' (and our) hands? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do Work

Start looking around to see all the things God created and thank Him for them!   Take a look at your hands. What are they doing?  If you are doing creative things with your hands consider gathering a group of women and teach them your craft or skill? If you aren’t doing anything creative with your hands, find some who is, and learn!

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