Musings From A Rolling Eyed Turtle

I recently read about a person who experienced a devastating personal loss.  They described the impact on their life by saying something to the extent that they had lost the center of their world and were feeling a kind of vertigo of the soul. Since my wife (Cheryl) experiences the physiological symptoms of vertigo, I found myself very intrigued with what it could mean to experience vertigo of the soul.  The physiological symptoms of vertigo are such that you feel that you are moving when you're not.  It’s a sensation that you, or the environment around you, is spinning. You might feel lightheaded, woozy, or disoriented. This feeling could be barely noticeable or it may be so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and do everyday tasks. From those symptoms, I’m thinking that it might be possible to experience vertigo of the soul.  It does seem that we could feel as if our souls are spinning.  It also seems we could feel as if our souls are disoriented or out

I love to travel but, in full disclosure, I also acknowledge that I am somewhat directionally impaired, not very adventurous and generally reluctant to try new things.   If my approach to travel is any indicator of how I go about my journey of life, and it likely is, then I am so very grateful to know that:          Ø   The Lord goes before me:   “It is the Lord who goes before you . He will be with you ; he will not leave you or forsake you . Do not fear or be dismayed.”   (Deut 31:8)   He’s my trailblazer!   Ø   The Lord goes with me:   “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord you r God is the one who goes with you . He will not fail you or forsake you .”   (Deut 31:6)   He’s my tour guide!   Ø   The Lord goes behind me:   “Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic.   For the Lord goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard.” (Isa 52:12)   He’s got my back!          Ø   The Lord

In last week’s post, I mentioned that s ometimes there is richness in words in the Scriptures even when it appears that a passage is translated differently in various versions of the Bible. The passage I referenced last week was Isaiah 57:15.  This week I want to look at Psalm 73:28 as another example: But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”  (ESV) But take a look at how it reads in the NASB: But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.  So is it good for me to be near God or is it the nearness of God that is my good?  Without a doubt, it is good when I am near God!  That nearness is probably an indicator that I sought Him and drew near to Him. Also, without a doubt, the nearness of God is my good!  That nearness is a certain indicator that He has always been near me and has never left me. So, you could quite successfully argu

Sometimes there is richness in words from the Scriptures even when it appears that a passage is translated differently in various versions of the Bible. I came across one such passage recently.  My attention initially was drawn to just one word, which was actually translated the same in the two different translations I looked at.  But it was the words that followed that appeared to be quite different. That initial one word was “dwell”.  The passage is Isaiah 57:15 and it reads as follows in the English Standard Version (ESV): For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.  Before I get to the differences in translations, I want to focus on the word “dwell”.  It has some meanings that I find to be quite interesting: to live in or at a specified place; to remain fo