ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tusite Sune 13, 2023

Welded to God  דבק

PIKITAI KI HE ‘OTUA

JOSHUA 22:5

[JOSHUA SAID.] "ONLY BE VERY CAREFUL TO OBSERVE THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LAW THAT MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD COMMANDED YOU, TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND TO CLING TO HIM AND TO SERVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL."

SIOSIUA 22:5

Kae sinoeme‘a ke mou mātu‘aki tokanga ke fai ki he tu‘utu‘uni mo e lao, ‘a ia na‘e fekau atu ‘e Mōsese ko e sevāniti ‘a e ‘Eiki; ke ‘ofa kia Sihova ko homou ‘Otua, pea ke fou ‘i hono ngaahi founga kotoa pē, pea ke tauhi ‘ene ngaahi fekau, pea ke pīkitai kiate ia, mo tauhi ia ‘aki homou loto kotoa, pea mo homou laumālie kotoa.

(LILIU FAKA-TONGA)

Ko e pīkitai ha tangata (husepaniti) ki hono uaifi, ko e fo’i lea ko e davaq (tavake - Gen. 2:24). ‘Oku lahi ‘a e ngaahi fakataataa ‘o e fo’i lea ni: ko e hui ‘oku pipiki ki he kili (Siope 19:20), ‘elelo ki he kaungao (Saame 22:15), ko e ‘uno ‘oku fehilihili’i (Job 41:15-17), pea mo e pikitai ‘a Lute ‘ia Naomi (Lute 1:14). ‘Ia Siosiua 22 mo e ngaahi potu kehe pe, ‘oku tala ki ‘Isileli ke nau davaq (Pikitai) kia Sihova (Teut 10:20). Ko e tu’unga nauna, deveq, ‘oku fakamatala’i ‘a e ‘aione ‘oku sota’i ke fakataha’i (‘Aisea 41:7). ‘I he tu’unga Hepelu ‘o onopooni, ‘oku ‘uhinga ‘a e deveq ki he kuluu fakapipiki. 

Ko e pehee ko ia ‘e Paula, "ko ia ‘oku ne pīkitai ki he ‘Eiki ‘oku ne fo‘i laumālie pē mo ia”, ‘oku ne ngaue’aki ‘a e fo’i lea Kalisi ‘oku kainga mo e davaq  ‘o ‘uhinga “ke fakahoko” (1 Kolinito 6:17). ‘Oku fakahoko kitautolu, fakapipiki, pulusi ki he ‘Eiki ko Sisu Kalaisi he ko e ngaahi kupu kitautolu ‘o hono sino, ko e ta’ahine mali, ko hono siasi (‘Efeso 5:30-32). ‘Oku tau pikitai kiate Ia ‘i he tui pea ‘oku Ne pikitai kiate kitautolu ‘i he ‘ofa. ‘Oku fakapipiki kitautolu ‘aki ‘a e afi ‘o Hono Laumalie pea ‘oku tau taha mo e ‘Eiki ‘o ta’engata. 

‘E hoku ‘Otua mo hoku Fakamo’ui, " ‘Oku bikitai ma’u be hoku laumalie kiate koe: ‘oku boubou au ‘e ho nima to’omata’u” (Saame 63:8).

For a husband to "hold fast" or "cleave" to his wife is to davaq (Gen. 2:24). This picturesque word illustrates many intimate attachments: bones clinging to skin (Job 19:20), tongues sticking to jaws (Ps. 22:15), the scales of a beast closely joined (Job 41:17), and Ruth's attachment to Naomi (Ruth 1:14). In Joshua 22 and other places, Israel is admonished to davaq to Yahweh (e.g., Deut. 10:20). The noun form, deveq, describes iron that's been soldered or welded together (Isa. 41:7). In modern Hebrew, deveq means glue or adhesive.

When Paul says, "He who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him," he uses a Greek equivalent of davaq for "joined to" (1 Cor. 6:17). We are joined to, glued, welded to the Lord Jesus because we are "members of his body," his bride, the church (Eph. 5:30-32). We cleave to him by faith even as he cleaves to us by love. Welded together by the fire of the Spirit, we are forever united to the Lord.

O Lord, my Savior, "my soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me" (Ps. 63:8).