23 Feb How’s Your Nephesh?

I’d like to ask you a question and please think about it before you answer. Assuming you believe you have one, how would you describe your soul? Most people think of our souls as the non-physical essence that survives after our physical bodies die and (we pray) goes to heaven. I have a pastoral coach I meet with every two weeks and he asks the same question at each session: “How is it with Jerry Bader’s soul?” At times I struggle to answer. The question he should ask is: “How is it with Jerry Bader’s nephesh?

That’s the word translated to soul in this exchange that Jesus had with a Pharisee:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:37=40 (NIV)

Nephesh refers to one’s whole being as a living person, as well as the non-physical “essence”: Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living nephesh (being). Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

So, to love God with all your nephesh means to love God with all that you are:

Our desires:

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:13 (NIV)

Our thoughts:

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

Our talents and skills:

1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has

commanded.”2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. Exodus 36:1-2 (NIV)

Our whole Body:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 2 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)

Jesus said that whoever wants to be His disciple will “take up his cross daily and follow me.” Jesus’ Jewish audience would have well understood His meaning. Condemned prisoners were required to carry the cross on which they would be crucified. Jesus was saying we must die to self; our whole self. Loving God with all our nephesh means we love God more than the right to ourselves, our nephesh.

This may sound scary, C.S. Lewis called it “the hardest easy thing you will ever do.” How is your nephesh? When it is surrendered to God, it is perfect!

Pastor Jerry Bader