HEBREW WORD STUDY – LAY IT ALL OUT – PERASH – פרש Pei Resh Shin
Ephesians 5:10 “Determine what pleases the Lord,”
Most of us can point to words said by someone that literally changed our lives. If I were asked what words had the greatest influence on my I could point to probably five occasions when someone said something that altered by life’s course. One is what I heard watching the movie Chariots of Fire. The movie was about a group of men from Britain who came from different backgrounds and were preparing to run in the 1926 Olympics.
One of the main characters being portrayed was a man name Eric Liddel who was a Christian committed to serving God. He was noted for refusing to run a race on Sunday and rather than face elimination he was entered into another event that he had not trained for. Yet, he still won the gold medal. His sister tried to get him to stop training and focus on this work to be a missionary (not true in real life). To satisfy his sister he took her to a mountain top and explained that he was going to be a missionary but he had a lot of running to do. His explanation is what changed my life. He said: “The Lord made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast and when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
Up to that time I considered serving God was doing religious things, read your Bible, pray, witness, testify, preach, serve in missions etc. I never stopped to realize that there were non-religious things I could do that was just as much a service to God. Our goal is not service but to live our lives so that whatever we chose to do we do it to please God.
If God made someone to be skilled in carpentry, then God takes pleasure in His servant building homes, renovating or repairing. If God gave someone a “green thumb” so to speak and the love of growing things, getting out in the hot sun gardening and pulling weeds, God takes great pleasure in that. If God gave someone musical ability he takes great pleasure in listening to that servant play an instrument or sing. I drove a man in my disability bus the other day. He loved God, worships God and he spent his life playing percussion instruments, like the kettle drum and triangle for the philharmonic. He played for professional musicals like the Music Man, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum as well as other major Broadway plays. I suppose he could have played for a Christian orchestra but I don’t think there are many Christian orchestras around especially those in need of a kettle drummer. So he played secular music, he did it as unto God and he felt God’s pleasure when he struck that kettle drum or triangle.
Our measure in life is not what mission board we served on, or what church we pastored or how many we had in our church, it is measured on how well you use the gifts God has given you to bring Him pleasure.
The word in the Aramaic for pleased in our study verse is interesting. It is the word shipira which means to be harmonious, to be a unifier. God gave all of us some kind of give and if we use that gift in His name we are being harmonious with God and unifying ourselves with Him. But you must determine what it is that is pleasing to God. No one can tell, you can only discover that if you search your own heart. The Aramaic word determine is perash which means to spread out and closely examine. What that means is that you need to spread out your life before God and examine what you are able to accomplish and what you cannot accomplish. You need to consider what you really enjoy doing because if you enjoy doing something it is often a clue that it is something you are good at in doing, although not all the time. I would like to sing, I really enjoy singing unfortunately nobody else enjoys my singing. But when I am alone I will sing and make an awful noise unto the Lord and God is pleased with my horrible sound of praise to Him. He and only He alone can enjoy that terrible voice because I sing as unto Him and Him alone. If he wanted others to share the joy, He would have given me a good voice. I am good at searching words in ancient languages and so I bring pleasure to the Lord in searching out words in the Bible and since others seem to take pleasure in it I share it. I used to search out words for my own enjoyment but God has allowed me to share my findings with others and when they say they have a new love or appreciation for God, I feel God’s pleasure. It is not about making a name for yourself, having a big audience, that does not please God what pleases God is that you perform what you were created to perform and if you don’t know what that is, Paul says to perashm, lay it all out and find what you are good at and what you really enjoy and do it to bring God pleasure even if He doesn’t give you an audience. As long as you have that audience of one – God, you are living a purposeful life.
Your mentioning today about your singing took me back to my childhood years. When I was a teenager, I would spend my summers at my grandparents farm and help out with all the farm chores. Then every Sunday we’d go to church and whenever we sang, grandpa was always the loudest voice in the church. He couldn’t carry a tune in a basket if he had 50 people helping him carry it. Someone made a comment about it one time and his reply was, “I don’t have to be able to sing good, the Bible just says “Make ye a joyful noise unto the Lord”, and that’s what I’m doing.” Loved my grandpa!
This came at a time when I was asking God about His will in my life! That’s how He works and it touched me so! Thank you for being His instrument!
Dear Chaim, how freeing is your explanation. Everyone seems to want some sort of Ministry and their gifts point them a certain way. I like cheering people up, making them laugh,reading, painting and dogs, doesnt really fit but I will do as you suggest and lay them out. Maybe God will show me the way. Love your Ministry Chaim, thank you.
I hope He shows you, and He will! -Victoria
I thought it was good but I do have difficulty thinking God could be pleased with mundane things like cleaning up the garden and cleaning house. I know you are right though. He has given me a lovely husband who i clean for!
I’m glad I’m not the only one. My wife gets so many chuckles about me and dirt. I love to clean things! It’s peaceful doing it. She’s always reminding me to get over my obsession with dirt “we are made of dirt she says!”
Thank you for today’s ‘talk’ I found it very encouraging of mind and strengthening of my spirit. God Bless and your ministry.
Amen! Ecclesiastes 9:10
Many thanks for this. I treasure it.
Thank you for sharing.
I never thought that what I enjoy, God would find pleasure in it ! So simple, but so profound. Thamk you
Chaim , you are brilliant! In the last few weeks every now and then I had the distinct sense that God gets pleasure out of me driving a Public Transport bus.
So now if I get tired or bored I realise that hey currently I am being pleasing to God.
It does now give my job purpose and a knowing that I am not wasting time on the merry go round.
And all this pleasure to Father God is even before I do the Christian things like loving on people on the bus etc.
Confirmation we are a sweet fragrance to Him.
Thank you Chaim. God bless you.
Chaim, I am very very appreciative that you are using your passion for language studies in the public eye. Your insights into the original languages and cultures have draw me into a deeper intimacy with the Lord. Thanks so much for following your passion!
Beautiful before the Lord! You truly inspire me to know the heart of God! Whom I do love with all my heart!
Thank you for the word this morning ,it’s such a blessing. I’ve always wondered what was my purpose in life my gift it makes me realize that what I enjoy doing is a gift from God because what I enjoy doing I am doing unto him and he takes pleasure in it that is so amazing thank you bless you