CHAZAQ!
2002-09-19 | 7:30 p.m.

Well, guys, this is it. It's my new site. :)

So what IS chazaq?

The original word is in Hebrew and, well...I can't get it to paste. I don't have the right fonts downloaded I guess. Chazaq is the transliterated word for the original Hebrew word. The phonetic spelling is khaw-zak'.

And here are some definitions:

(Hiphil)

to make strong, strengthen

to make firm

to display strength

to make severe

to support

to repair

to prevail, prevail upon

to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support

to hold, contain

(Hithpael)

to strengthen oneself

to put forth strength, use one's strength

to withstand

to hold strongly with

(Piel)

to make strong

to restore to strength, give strength

to strengthen, sustain, encourage

to make strong, make bold, encourage

(Qal)

to be strong, grow strong

to prevail, prevail upon

to be firm, be caught fast, be secure

to press, be urgent

I'm not going to pretend to have a great knowledge of Hebrew...or, um any knowledge of Hebrew whatsoever...ha ha, but this was inspiring to me.

I've been rather ill, you know. All the time, actually. The last four days have been the next to worst set of days so far (the worst few days happened last week when I was sick and very weak - I have a bit more energy this week). I have been praising God for good insurance and have twice received a response of "Praise God for good insurance but not for good health."

Justin said that in my guestbook in the other journal. He's right. I'm not about to start praising God for good health. That would be dumb, because I don't have good health right now. SO!

I'm going to praise Him for my bad health. Praise God that I'm sick! Hrrmmm?! Yup. I'm praisin' the Lord that I've been ill, because...

James 1:2,3 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Chronicles 16:34 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

I can praise God because I know that He loves me, and He will be glorified in this too. :)

Back to the whole strength thing...it's not that I'm strong. That's not why I chose this name. It's just the opposite. I'm very weak, physically and spiritually. Physically because I'm malnourished. Spiritually...well, I'm just not good at fleeing temptation. The Word has an answer for this...and this is the foundation of this journal.

2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

In Christ alone will I find strength, powerful and unyielding. It is severe to those who would oppose it, a mighty fortress to those would live in it, and a great sustainer of my spirit. In and of myself, I am nothing, but in Christ, I have joy. So there you go.

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