Aloha
I have some dear friends who are moving away to explore a new adventure with Father. Over the past weeks as I've prayed for them and been sad about their leaving I have meditated on some 'leavings' in the Bible. I thought of and read about Jacob's leaving when his sons gathered around his death bed and Jacob told them, "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come." (Genesis 49:1) And I read about Moses' leaving and how he blessed the Israelites and told them what was going to happen to them: "Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places." (Deuteronomy 33:29) And I pondered Elijah's passing as Elisha asked him for an inheritance of a double portion of his spirit. (II Kings 2:9) And I thought about Paul's leaving the elders of Ephesus and how he gave them information about what was to come and about their inheritance. He said, "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32)
Last week when a small group of my closest friends celebrated with our leaving friends at one last dinner we all reflected on what Father had done in and through and with us because of these precious friends. They have touched our lives, drawn us closer to each other and to Father, and walked with us as we have observed how they walk in Christ. We prayed over them and they prayed over us. And we gave them gifts. And they gave each of us a gift. And I reflected some more on the impartation of wisdom, prophecy, encouragement, inheritance and power in this leaving. Selfishly speaking, I would like more! I'd like for my friends to leave more of themselves behind - to impart more wisdom about what is to come - to promise to return often - to promise to stay in touch on a regular basis... Do you think that is how Jacob's sons and the Israelites and Elisha and the elders of Ephesus felt at the big leavings in their lives? Were their hearts saying "Give us more"???
There is another person in the Bible who left and who gave more than any other person leaving - He actually left Himself. He imparted the ultimate gift - the gift of aloha. And He imparted the ultimate picture of what is to come - the picture of aloha. If you've ever been to Hawaii or read the Sister Chicks book Sister Chicks Do The Hula by Robin Gunn, you will know what I am talking about. But in case you haven't done either, let me explain. The word "aloha" means hello and goodbye in the Hawaiian language and comes from two ancient Hawaiian words: "Alo" meaning "share" and "Ha" meaning "essence of life". To fully express "aloha" Hawaiians greet each other by touching foreheads and saying "alo" and then breathe out and say "ha" actually sharing the essence of their lives with one another as they breathe each other's breath. That's what Jesus did when he left His disciples.
At one of His last dinners with His closest friends we see the aloha. "And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:22) That was His impartation of the ultimate gift - the sharing of the essence of His life. And He gave the same close friends a picture of the aloha to come in Acts 1:8 when He told them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them. Paul says this about that ultimate gift and picture: And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14) So even though we weren't present at those leavings of Jesus where He said "aloha" to His closest friends, we are filled with the essence of His life. And we impart that living essence to those around us as we walk in His ways and choose to draw near to others - near enough to place our foreheads upon theirs and breathe out and in - sharing the life of being His chosen ones, His marked ones, His redeemed ones. That is what my leaving friends have done in the lives of us being left behind as they move to their next adventure. And I feel certain that is what they will do in their new place. And I am sure they desire for us to continue the aloha in our lives here.
Their lives have said: Draw near to Him and breathe in and out. Draw near to others and breathe in and out. Share the essence of the life of Christ within you so others can live. What an impartation for my friends to leave behind. I hope they know what they have done and what a blessing they are - and will be. And I pray that the friends they will find in their new place will aloha them in a big way.
Aloha, friends. Aloha.
Amy
Last week when a small group of my closest friends celebrated with our leaving friends at one last dinner we all reflected on what Father had done in and through and with us because of these precious friends. They have touched our lives, drawn us closer to each other and to Father, and walked with us as we have observed how they walk in Christ. We prayed over them and they prayed over us. And we gave them gifts. And they gave each of us a gift. And I reflected some more on the impartation of wisdom, prophecy, encouragement, inheritance and power in this leaving. Selfishly speaking, I would like more! I'd like for my friends to leave more of themselves behind - to impart more wisdom about what is to come - to promise to return often - to promise to stay in touch on a regular basis... Do you think that is how Jacob's sons and the Israelites and Elisha and the elders of Ephesus felt at the big leavings in their lives? Were their hearts saying "Give us more"???
There is another person in the Bible who left and who gave more than any other person leaving - He actually left Himself. He imparted the ultimate gift - the gift of aloha. And He imparted the ultimate picture of what is to come - the picture of aloha. If you've ever been to Hawaii or read the Sister Chicks book Sister Chicks Do The Hula by Robin Gunn, you will know what I am talking about. But in case you haven't done either, let me explain. The word "aloha" means hello and goodbye in the Hawaiian language and comes from two ancient Hawaiian words: "Alo" meaning "share" and "Ha" meaning "essence of life". To fully express "aloha" Hawaiians greet each other by touching foreheads and saying "alo" and then breathe out and say "ha" actually sharing the essence of their lives with one another as they breathe each other's breath. That's what Jesus did when he left His disciples.
At one of His last dinners with His closest friends we see the aloha. "And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:22) That was His impartation of the ultimate gift - the sharing of the essence of His life. And He gave the same close friends a picture of the aloha to come in Acts 1:8 when He told them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them. Paul says this about that ultimate gift and picture: And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14) So even though we weren't present at those leavings of Jesus where He said "aloha" to His closest friends, we are filled with the essence of His life. And we impart that living essence to those around us as we walk in His ways and choose to draw near to others - near enough to place our foreheads upon theirs and breathe out and in - sharing the life of being His chosen ones, His marked ones, His redeemed ones. That is what my leaving friends have done in the lives of us being left behind as they move to their next adventure. And I feel certain that is what they will do in their new place. And I am sure they desire for us to continue the aloha in our lives here.
Their lives have said: Draw near to Him and breathe in and out. Draw near to others and breathe in and out. Share the essence of the life of Christ within you so others can live. What an impartation for my friends to leave behind. I hope they know what they have done and what a blessing they are - and will be. And I pray that the friends they will find in their new place will aloha them in a big way.
Aloha, friends. Aloha.
Amy
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