A Matter of Words

English is probably one of the most spiritually inept languages available when trying to convey the nature of the divine. There just are not any words in this language available to define the higher aspects of god or even those divine aspects of our own nature.

For example, the Bible is filled with words for God that are actually not His name but express various aspects of Him. The Greek language from which the original cannons were derived is far more inclusive in the conveyance of these concepts which must have been a part of the Hebrew traditions as well. Most of the time however, the translators avoided using words that had no meaning in English by simply inserting the word God. The result of this practice is a general misunderstanding of the true nature of the Being that Jesus affectionately called the Father.

Paul for instance used many different words for the divine that ended up being translated as God. One exception might be the term “the Holy Spirit” which Paul used frequently with regard to that aspect of the divine which inspires miracles, healings and other “supernatural” occurrences. Today, most preachers use the term “the Anointing” to describe what Paul called the Holy Spirit. When “the Anointing” comes over you, you are “in the spirit” and amazing things can supposedly happen. In the mean time “the Holy Spirit” has been elevated to refer to a greater supreme God, or something nobody really knows, other than it is a name for God.

In the eastern traditions there are many many names for the divine attributes. Some people mistake this to mean that these people worship many different idols. In fact, it is more like the Catholic tradition of appealing to various saints who have been allocated specific gifts, or blessings which can be manifested upon the believer. One thing you might keep in mind though is that all of the gifts and talents everyone possesses have been allocated to us by the Father. And, as Jesus said about the nature of making an offering – be careful to whom you make your offering if you are doing so in an appeal for help.

Do you make it to an individual? Do you make it to a priest? Do you make it to a church? Or, do you place it on the Alter of the Father and make it unto Him. In the practical sense however, it does not matter in what form you make your offering or request as long as you “see” the Father behind that form.