GANEIDA'S KNOT.

Go mbeannai Dia duit.

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Quaker by conviction, mother by default, Celticst through love, Christ follower because I once was lost but now am found...

Sunday, October 24, 2010

A man hasn't got a corner on virtue just because his shoes are shined. ~Anne Petry


 The things I don't know!  I am working on Revelation three ~ Laodicea ~ [for that other place, you know *wink, wink*] & I make no bones about the fact I'm no theologian.  Theology requires logic & logic is not my strong point.  As I'm sure I'm not the only one with this difficulty it always assures me of God's great love for His people when I discover He has made provision for those of us a little lacking in the cerebral department.  My areas, which always make my children groan & refuse to watch historical movies with me, are in the Arts ~ particularly history & literature.

I can desiccate a piece of literature with my eyes closed, both hands tied behind my back & standing on my head.  That's the way my brain is wired & I get all excited when I see symbolic associations that I can leap~frog on all over the bible.  I really do.  It gives me great delight.  I am not so strong on bible history but research is something I like & as it is invariably full of interesting bunny trails I could research forever & go nowhere fast.  I'm sure this is not bothering anybody as the world might be waiting with baited breath for my insights but it is certainly waiting with infinite patience!

You see the thing with bunny trails, & why I like them so very, very much, is the lovely places they take you, the symbolism that pops up out of nowhere & just how much insight they give you.
So, Laodicea.  At the junction of the Lycus & Meander Valleys & 3 major Roman highways near Phrygia.  Fed by 2 rivers & thus a primary hub for the Roman aqueduct system.  The water, by the time it arrived in Laeodecea was neither the freezing invigorating cold of a mountain fed stream nor the soothing, relaxing heat of the spa waters.  Rather it was so tepid as to be undrinkable!

Now ancient Laodicea was known primarily for 2 things: its textiles & its medical school. [It was also a central commerce centre that minted its own coinage & ran its own banks but that was because of the wool & the medicine ~ Oh, & the fact just about everybody else's goods passed through the place on their way to somewhere or other else.]  Laodicea provided the finest black wool in the ancient world & all the best people wore the finespun black designer garments made from this wool. *sigh* You can see when I'm going with this, can't you, & why the integral way scripture so tightly interweaves its symbolism gives me great joy!

Laodicea also had a very fine medical school & was rather famous for its eyes salves. [& can't you just hear John's sarcasm now in Revelation?!]  They had the stuff, John tells them they should use it!  Anyway what really intrigued me, & I bet you the ancient world knew all this, is that they had a particular salve known as kollourion which was shaped like small loaves ~ & what does bread symbolise in the scriptures. dancing a little jig here! 

Ok, so I'm a little odd. Shoot me. So many bunny trails; so little time.

11 comments:

Amanda said...

oh Ganeida!!! what treaure you share with us today! Discovering and understanding symbolism is my very favourite thing to do... I love the deeper hidden things of the Word! It is indeed an ocean we can dive into without ever reaching the bottom.

How interesting are these facts you have shared, about Laodicea! The water is tepid therefore undrinkable?! I never knew that, so it makes so much more sense of the scripture about us being tepid and unpalatable to the Lord!

Oh, I am so excited and I am dancing a little jig with you! (I know, so many exclamation marks, but it is how I express myself in excitement lol!!!!!) hehe

And, the eye salve. That is just precious. Yes indeed... I shall go there and study through Rev 3 for myself today, as you have certainly wet my appetite! and two more '!!' :D

Amanda said...

ps. There is a precious grandmother who shares the Word beautifully. I think you may enjoy her writing, and her latest post on the mysteries of God. www.blicktx.blogspot.com

She doesn't give you the whole platter but enough to make you hunger for more.

Ganeida said...

lol Amanda! I am useless at logic & theology; I generally miss the point. ☺ However I'm pretty good at the other stuff 'cause it actually makes sense to my brain & I get a little excited. When I get excited I like to share. ☺

Amanda said...

Well, keep sharing. Theology has it's place, but don't see it that you are useless at it. He told us we would be 'living epistles' read of all men. What He has gifted you with, and what He births in your heart, is what He wants you to share. Who said it isn't theology? I actually dislike that word, or what has been done with it. I prefer simply, Spirit and Truth. You flow with waters of Living Water. That's enough theology for me, my dear friend.

I got life and living waters from you today. Mission complete and perfect. As He is not remiss in what He gifts to whom, I thank Him for what He has gifted you with. You saved me a lot of research LOL :P

Ruby said...

That is indeed the great joy and beauty of God's Word. The depths to be plumbed, the interweaving of thoughts and symbols. God's Word is a never ending source of marvellous truth and revelation to us!

Joyfulmum said...

dearie me, just lost my comments!!!

anyway, I might leave the theologising to you and Amanda I think:)
I'm no theologian but I did enjoy this very much! (but actually according to our visiting preacher/ pastor yesterday, we are all theologians if we study God's word - apparently) but he went on to say that just because we are doesn't mean we're all good ones:) he he he, I'm in the latter camp for sure I think:)

Amanda said...

Don't leave it to me Rosemary!! LOL I said I'm not good with it either... I don't even like the word 'theology' too much at all. ;)

Ganeida said...

Rosemary you can't leave it to me either, lol I get a little ditzy ~ but I'm done & it's up for the interested ones. ☺

Pen Wilcock said...

How extremely interesting!

Ganeida said...

Ember: I thought so. ☺

seekingmyLord said...

Ganeida, I am not quite myself yet, but I wanted you to know that I enjoyed reading this very much. I will try to reply to your email later on.