Katonti & Radaph

I read an fascinating article this morning about rediscovering the lost art of reading biblical languages. I must confess that it was only during the University years that I was moderately good at Hebrew and I could memorise large chunks of Genesis, a few Psalms and parts of Isaiah especially for exams. My Greek was slightly better having gone through a year long course in NT Greek year 3 at Otago Univesity where we were examined on sight reading...all Greek and one translate into English to the best of our ability. Auditing one Semester of intermediate Classical Greek did wonders to my love and confidence in Greek. I got up in Dunedin autumn cold weather before 5am to prepare for my Ancient Greek classes at 9am. Then teaching Koine Greek for 5 years at TTC ensures one keeps in touch with Greek. I read that instead of “follow” one should translate the word radaph- “pursue” that the Lord will pursue his beloved with goodness and mercy all the days of his life as per Psalm 23.
I experienced Psalm 23 time and time again in the past 3 years. It is as if God showers me or pursues me with his goodness. Once upon leaving the car rushing to check in at Changi airport I was gifted with a big sum of money. I did not expect that at all but this is how God prepared a table for me in the midst of my enemies. When I am buffeted left right and centre by enemies of God’s work, God has a way to remind me that He knows and He cares. Last year after some soul searching I started teaching English to my students. No one was going to do it. It was approved at our denomination’s AGM the previous year but for 6 months no action was taken. After the first Wednesday class I walked back to my house at College and received a message saying that a gift was deposited into my account. Was that coincidence? No it was God’s way to telling me to pursue my vision because it is His vision. O Lord I delight to do Your will oh my God (Psalm 40). Eight months later I testified of my English class in a local church for the first time and that same day I received another gift from the same person. She was in another country at that time, so no way she could’ve heard my testimony. Surely goodness and mercy will pursue you all the days of your life. As I sought God to return to Sabah in late 2013 and early 2014 God spoke to me through Jacob’s experience of working for a while in a foreign land and then returning home. There is this verse that came to me like an arrow of God’s Word: “I will deal well with you”. As I obeyed the Lord’s voice how He has dealt well with me these past 2 years. Katonti in Hebrew means unworthy, a cry from Jacob’s heart but when he obeyed God, God was with him and blessed Him.