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Allow me a moment to explain this title for the meditations on this site. What’s in the name, Solace & Sustenance? That question, “What’s in a name?”, was made famous in William Shakespeare's epic play, Romeo and Juliet. The two lovers have a major obstacle to their instant and intense attraction. Juliet is a Montague. Romeo is a Capulet. These two families had long been sworn enemies. Each views the other’s name as the very definition of infamy. This historic feud is the frustrating, and eventually tragic, setting of their deep but doomed romance. At one point, Juliet is lamenting this intractable quarrel, which both she and Romeo see as an irrelevant impediment to their passionate longings for each other. Then she asks the age-old question as she seeks a solution to their dilemma: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Her point is that the names, Montague and Capulet, do not define or diminish their love. With petulant dismissal, she dispatches their family’s irksome dispute.
Though this newsletter sets out to be a very different kind of literature than the high drama of Shakespeare’s plays, I would like to introduce my writing by asking a personalized version of Juliet’s question: What’s in the name, Solace & Sustenance?
I see the English word solace as a virtual synonym for the Hebrew word, Shalom. Shalom means literally, peace. But it conveyed far more to the Hebrews than simply the idea of calm, repose, and tranquility. It is so much deeper than that. Indeed, it sums up all that makes one whole, well, stable, strong, and satisfied. It comprehends every dimension of the goodness of God when it’s fully experienced by a redeemed soul. In short, it describes a human being, a creature created in the image of God, who is deeply relishing God’s love for her or him and indulging in the unsullied delight that only abundant communion with God can impart.
The first question in the Shorter Catechism teaches us that this God-enjoyment is THE purpose of man. It's why God made us. Notice the answer to the question, "What is the chief end of man?" "It is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." I believe some have correctly interpreted that to mean that we will glorify God only to the degree that we enjoy him. We glorify him BY enjoying him. God designed us to be God-enjoyers. And when this purpose is being maximized in us, we will have a lot of SOLACE in the broadest and deepest sense of the word. Generally, when we use this word, we mean things like comfort or support. We see solace as what we impart when we con-sole or communicate solace, to one another. My point is that whenever God extends his goodness to a creature that is ravaged by sin it will have the effect of giving solace. It will relieve us sinners of both what dishonors God and damages us. So, what’s in the first part of the name? The enjoyment of our redemption.
What’s in the second part of the name, SUSTENANCE? Well, the enjoyment of our Redemption is bestowed upon us and relished by us only through receiving divine revelation, namely through the Scriptures. The Scriptures are THE supreme source of our soul's nourishment. Scripture is to the soul what food is to the body. Feasting spiritually on God’s Word is the only way to enjoy his solace. This newsletter is one hungry spiritual beggar’s attempt to share some freshly baked morsels of God’s bread with fellow spiritual beggars. So, let's eat!! By being thus sustained we will be solaced.
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