Aliyah Means Going Up

Hello Grafted In Readers,

Today is June 27 in my corner of blog land. Over the weekend, I was reminded of the Hebrew word, "aliyah."
Per recently adopted custom, in Google I type "hebrew definition aliyah, or whatever Hebrew word meaning is being sought. The results are quite telling and enriching.

Traditionally, it referred to Hebrews who would go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual feasts, appointed times. See Leviticus chapter 23 for those feasts. During their time of going, they would travel in groups and sing praises to YHVH, God. Several of these are in Psalms 122 through 134 called, The Psalms of Ascent.

Today, aliyah according to the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, refers to the dispersed Jewish people returning to Israel. The site - chabad.org, also mentions a metaphysical definition for aliyah.

I was reminded by a Replacement theology Spokesperson that Yeshua went up to Jerusalem where he ultimately offered Himself for the sin of humanity, you, me, people before and after us. See Luke chapters 9 through 24 for this detailed account.

I would suggest that every day and at certain points in life, we each have a choice to come up to God, come before God in prayer, in quiet, in worship, in meditation, in times of good and plenty, in times of deep despair, anguish, angst and frustration....

Our recent guest poster, Ester T, sent me an essay by Rabbi Sacks from the United Kingdom titled "From Despair to Hope" in which he makes some telling observations. Consider:
It is when your self-esteem is ground to dust that you suddenly realise that life is not about you. It is about others, and ideals, and a sense of mission or vocation. What matters is the cause, not the person. That is what true humility is about. As C. S. Lewis wisely said: humility is not about thinking less of yourself. It is about thinking of yourself less.
When you have arrived at this point, even if you have done so through the most bruising experiences, you become stronger than you ever believed possible.
--
In the 1970s, there was a Christian chorus that asked to be brought to the rock that is higher than I. This exemplifies the sense of making aliyah.

Kevod Yeheveh, His presence continue to bring us up from where we are to where He intends.

Mellow Roc