Today, I’m starting with some definitions:
Goel means a person, usually one’s nearest relative who has certain obligations to you eg to secure your freedom from slavery, avenge wrongdoing
Gole means a clustered body of troops, ready for violent action
Loge means a booth or stall, possibly an exclusive lush box at a theatre
Ogle means to stare at someone in a lecherous manner
Fascinating, isn’t it? Same letters put together in a different way and the meanings are transformed from meaning security, safety, protection even decadence to being scary, threatening, hinting of abuse and violence.
My thoughts today were triggered by a discussion in a recent meeting about Lego (other construction kits are available!). We were talking about God’s church and about change. Many of our churches are currently undergoing a review or change of leadership. We, church members, are like individual bricks and it may be we need to be shuffled up and reassembled to make a church that looks different in order to be more fit for purpose. More accessible for today’s people in today’s world. We’re all still needed and valued. The new look will be different but that doesn’t undervalue what has been before.
It is said that the inventor of Lego, used that name because in Danish it was a shortened version of ‘leg godt’ or ‘play well’. It wasn’t until some time later, he realised that in Latin the same word meant ‘I study’ or ‘I put together’, equally appropriate for the construction toy. As we pray into the changes that need to be made in our churches, may we find new insights and revelations as we put things together differently for the glory of God.