Fear Not

The Role of Meditation

Chapter 21

November 27

Deuteronomy 20: 2-4

When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: "Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

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Preface

God can, and does, speak to us in any number of ways, expected or unexpected.

There are times when we're at war within ourselves between fear and faith, a war often triggered by an external challenge or threat. The threat could be sudden or expected. It could be to our life, our quality of living, or to our routine.

But when the war arises, often we need an intermediary, some messenger, to help us shift from F2F and gain clarity and, consequently, victory. Other times, we may be called to be the intermediary. Either way, it's important to know what such a role entails so that we know how to help, or that we are being helped, in the right way.

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In Hebrew the word 'priest,' as used here, is 'kohen,' which is the active participle of 'kahan,' a primitive root meaning to 'mediate' in religious services; to 'officiate' as a priest; figuratively, 'to put on regalia.' Thus 'kohen' literally translates into one 'officiating.'

Also it's a term used out of courtesy for a layman acting as a priest. And it's the word for a chief ruler, prince, or principal officer, when they serve to mediate or officiate as a priest, or in religious services.

It's interesting that 'kohen' stands for both a priest and a layman since these terms would commonly be thought of as being opposites. But that's because the word isn't referencing the title, nor the person. It's referring to the action; the 'doing.'

To 'mediate' means: "1: to work with opposing sides in order to resolve (as a dispute) or bring about (as a settlement) 2: to bring about, influence, or transmit (as a physical process or effect) by acting as an intermediate or controlling agent or mechanism." *

To 'officiate' means "1: to perform a ceremony, function, or duty." *

* (Merriam-Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2006)

We can understand this to mean any layman or official who puts on the regalia; or, as it's said today, takes on the role, to perform the function of resolving a dispute, or who acts as an intermediate to transmit a message to a group of people to influence them toward a specific state of mind and task.

Today a priest, or pastor, reverend, rabbi (any official head); a friend, colleague, stranger, or one of us (any layman); or an event, circumstance, the word of God, the Holy Spirit, a book, a rock, a mule (any tool God's used before), can take on the role to resolve a dispute or to transmit a message toward a particular purpose.

Anything or -one purposing to shift our mindset and emotional state from F2F, when faced with an upcoming battle, is 'kohen' (officiating) on our behalf. They are resolving a dispute within us between fear and faith by reminding us, as today's verse outlines, that God:

1) goes with us,

2) fights for us, and

3) gives us the victory. Thus