This coming Shabbat the Jewish people all over the world will be reading the section of the Torah known as “Lech Lecha” or “Go Forth”. Beginning in Genesis 12, we read such highly impactful scriptures on walking with God and faith.
In Genesis 12, we read:
Then ADONAI said to Abram, “Get going out from your land, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. My heart’s desire is to make you into a great nation, to bless you, to make your name great so that you may be a blessing. My desire is to bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3 TLV
During the translation process, the Tree of Life Version (TLV) was translated to say God’s “Heart’s desire” instead of “I Will” like most Protestant translations. In fact, I have in my library, “The Pentateuch and Haftorahs”, Second Edition, published by Soncino Press (A Orthodox Jewish Publication) that also uses “I will” as the English equivalent.
It is true that being a blessing to the Jewish people, the physical descendants of Abram does bring a blessing. However, as with many precepts in walking with God, it is about the heart and attitude.
Pastor Robert Morris, of Gateway Church in Dallas, TX has stated publicly many times, that the reason why Gateway Church is so blessed is because of their heart and financial support of Jewish ministries, believing congregations, and love for the Jewish people.
Walking with God is always about both of the 2A’s: Action & Attitude.
Action with God’s heart Attitude can get you far!
We even read this in Romans 16:
“But now I am going to Jerusalem, bringing aid to the kedoshim. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are under obligation to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they also ought to serve them in material blessings.” Romans 16:25-27 TLV
The TLV translators purposely went for “heart’s desire” in order for the reader to understand that the heart of God, our Creator, is much deeper than ”I will”. It is one bursting with a father’s desire to give his children all the best. An intensity of love in action that is as if it is finished!
Sound familiar? It should! As believers, there is an accessibility to life much more than we currently live in. We are ingrafted into the Kingdom of our God!
As Yeshua was speaking to the large crowd that gathered around Him in Matthew 13:31-35 TLV:
He presented to them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. It’s the smallest of all seeds; yet when it’s full grown, it’s greater than the other herbs. It becomes like a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” He told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like hametz, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” All these things Yeshua spoke to the crowds in parables. And apart from a parable, He wasn’t speaking to them, in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open My mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.” Matthew 13:31-35 TLV
The word of God tells us to be a “do-er” of the word and not a “hear-er” only. At the TLV Bible Society we put it this way – when it comes to the word, the heart, and the blessings of God – we just don’t read the Bible, we live it! •
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