Familiar sounds, those we hear often, no matter how disturbing they once were, the brain can learn to ignore, or not focus on. We can also do that with physical and emotional pain, or in the face of need – someone else’s need.

The sound of the shofar awakens us, draws our attention to, and resets us to God’s purpose: new sound drawing our ear, and ultimately our hearts, minds, and bodies to the source of the sound.

Four calls are heard on Rosh Hashanah, traditionally 100 times:

1. Tekiah – To awaken or summons, the King is enthroned; one note of the shofar.

2. Shevarim – To break or fracture; three short, connected notes.

3. Truah – To alarm, and awaken you from spiritual slumber; a series of many short connected sounds made with the tongue.

4. Tekiah gedolah – the great tekiah; one long, single sound longer than a standard tekiah.

Spiritual meaning for reflection:

1. Tekiah: What and to Whom are you awakening? The tekiah stimulates passion to fill the Lord’s will and desire in life – the doing of His Word (Jn. 14:15).

2. Shevarim: Where in your life do you find brokenness, and need for repair? Shevarim draws attention to that place (Ps. 34:18).

3. Truah: Once awakened, are you ready, and/or willing to respond to the call, the need, and the work? Get up, go (Eph. 2:8-10)!

4. Tekiah Gedolah: Recognize where and how you have been healed in life, celebrate and give thanks to the Lord, Hallelujah (Ps. 150)!

The sound of the shofar changes our environment, thus changing our minds in the midst of it. More and more people are numb to life because of the repetition of daily schedules, or brokenness not tended to.

The calls of the shofar wake us up, drawing us to the Great Physician, sending us out to be about His business, and celebrate in praise all that He has accomplished.

Glory to God, He wants us awakened, healed, and in life; until the final shout, and the return of the enthroned King, Messiah Yeshua/Jesus:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (I Thess. 4:16-17).

Be well. Shalom.

If you are reading this, you are probably familiar with the name of the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, literally “the head of the year..”

Yet, Rosh Hashanah is also called by four other names:

1. Yom HaZikaron, the Day of Remembering.

2. Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgment.

3. Yom Harat Olam, The Day the World was Conceived, in God’s plan.

4. Yom Tru’ah, the Day of the Broken Sound, the name of the holiday in Leviticus 23.

Each name is ripe with meaning, and leads one into deep reflection. As we approach the High Holiday season, consider the above names, but as questions:

1. What am I remembering? What am I thinking on, dwelling on, or bringing into living? Is it reflective of the new man in Messiah, or a lingering presence of the old? Also, what or who am I forgetting, and in need of remembering?

2. Who is the judge? Do I set myself in His position, or am I allowing His grace to penetrate the hard shell that the human heart is prone to develop?

3. What has God conceived me to be in Messiah? What has He purposed for me to do while on this earth?

4. Why is my sound broken, when He has made me whole in Messiah? What are you called to by the shofar (trumpet)?

Rosh Hashanah awakens the heart to a season of new beginnings, renewal, and anticipation for the coming of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus (Rev. 7:9). The sound of the shofar causes “us to turn away from to,” as we look to see the sound.

As you prepare for this holiday season, reflect on the above questions, but also allow your mind to construct your own, specific to your situation. Look to the Word of God for answers, direction, and correction. Hear the shofar, and anticipate with joy all that the Lord has planned as He moves you through this season.

Be well. Shalom.

Nehemiah had a burden for Jerusalem, a city he had never seen, destroyed for sin he was not involved in; yet, he had a burden in the spirit to respond to God’s promise, and see its walls and gates rebuilt.

Having arrived in Jerusalem, under the cover of night (Neh. 2:12), he inspects the walls and gates of God’s city. Ruins.

How do you inspire a people to rebuild in the sight of such destruction? As Nehemiah records, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall” (Neh. 4:10).

Reality had set in. Enemies were conspiring and attacking (Neh. 4:11). The hope that inspired seemed at an end:

“You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies in waste, and it’s gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach” … “So they said, ‘Let us rise up and build’” (Neh. 2:17-18).

Nehemiah, while enemies pressed in, urged the people to stand, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses (Neh. 4:14).

Nothing had changed in their circumstance, except the presence of the enemies outside began to press in. The same wreckage that greeted them at the beginning of their toil was the same wreckage at the enemy’s arrival.

The wreckage that Nehemiah stood over initially inspired them see what could be; but with the scheme of the enemy now more real, the wreckage became evidence of what would not be.

Remember the Lord Nehemiah proclaims!

Never answer lies. Never answer ridicule. Pray and get to God’s work (Eph. 6:16):

“Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night” (Neh. 4:9).

Would the job be easy because Nehemiah was dedicated to the task? No. Enemies pressed in, discouragement set in, but he pressed on. See what is, and get going in the work of God. Tough message, but this is a lesson from the life of Nehemiah.

Criticism, discouragement, and open hostility is easy to come by in this day and age. As we continue to walk in faith before the Lord, voices will make their presence known: they are watching and waiting for weakness to be revealed. Yet, at times, we are our own source of criticism, and discouragement – don’t do that!

Still, the wreckage in our lives seems too overwhelming to clean up, and rebuild. Hear to the voice of the enemy:

“What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish – stones that are burned? (Neh. 4:2).

When the enemy calls you feeble, remember that not one feeble departed Egypt with the camp of God (Ps. 105:37). Will you offer sacrifice? Yes, a sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15). Will the burned stones live again? Yes, “You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house – a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua/Jesus” (I Pet. 2:5).

Glory to God!

When the discouragement, and overwhelming stress of this age begins to dislodge the peace of God set in you, remember the promise of Messiah. He would send the Holy Spirit to comfort you (Jn. 14:16).

Why is the lesson of Nehemiah so important for us today? His is a story of comfort, even in the midst of great distress. And his message is נְחֶמְיָה, “Nehemiah,” literally meaning, “Whom God comforts.”

You are His revived work, His revived wreckage, His revived stones, not your own. Rejoice.

Be well. Shalom.