God Whistles

I finished reading the biography of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is titled, Rowan’s Rule; the author is Rupert Shortt (correct spelling) [425 pgs]. The head of the largest Protestant communion in the world, Williams is also one of the most important Protestant theologians on the planet.

In his little book, Tokens of Trust, Williams lays out his basic thought. I especially like his discussion of the nature of God’s involvement with the creation. Instead of picturing God as ‘a being’ existing apart from the world, he speaks of God as a kind of electric current that runs through everything in the creation. As the poet said, "The world is charged with the grandeur of God."

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I ran upon an interesting verse the other day: Zechariah 10.8. God speaks and says, "I will whistle and gather them together." The Hebrew word for 'whistle' is eshrekah. In some other passages it is translated 'hiss.' But most English translations of this Zechariah verse use 'whistle.' Has God ever whistled at you? His whistle is a uniting signal. Perhaps we each ought to listen carefully for that divine whistle. It's calling us together.

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I have never studied the Apocrypha closely, though I have read most of the books. But the last few days the Benedictine Daily Prayer book has featured readings from the Book of Wisdom, and I've been uplifted by the readings. The Book of Wisdom was written about 100 years before Christ by a Jewish author living in Alexandria, Egypt. It was written in Greek. So, it partakes of Greek thought and categories as well as the Hebrew tradition. There is indeed a lot of wisdom in this Apocryphal book.


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I've been thinking lately about the word 'confidence.' It is sometimes used as a synonym for 'faith.' Instead of asking, Do you have faith in God? or, Do you believe in God?--the question might be put this way: Do you have confidence in God? Or more generally, what do you have ultimate confidence in?


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Here is another little question: What is the difference in having faith and having an opinion?


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Really enjoyed the movie "True Grit." The acting, the weird style of dialogue, and even the violence (in this context) were delightful.


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I've been using the Hebrew alphabet as an aid to meditation.


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