Communication

With much regret, I apologize to the readers of my former blog with WordPress. It seems that the server has been taken out of service with no warning.

Communications--Jesus had no such trouble as a web server going down. Jesus' world was a simpler and slower world--even with fewer languages.

To the right is a picture of languages. Everything in Israel, of course, is communicated in Hebrew. Most often, there is corresponding English. And I assume that the second line is an Arabic language of some sort.

If everything had been in Hebrew, Kathy and I would have been lost. We don't know the language. We needed familiar words.

Jesus spoke the language of his peers, but he was truly bringing new words to the world. Even in the Upper Room (the sign noting the place above) of the Last Supper, new and challenging words were offered. When he told Peter that he would wash his feet, Peter protested. But his spirit of servanthood would carry the moment. Even while presenting challenging concepts, Jesus uses familiar words.

That remains true today. "Grace" is an exceedingly difficult concept, but Jesus uses familiar words like love and sacrifice and serving and gift to help us understand. Fear can be overwhelming, but Jesus frequently uses the comforting language and shepherd and sheep so that we might know his care.

Perhaps in 2010, Jesus would use a blog to tell of his love. I pray that this blog will be successful in that communication.