Today the inspiration that came to mind was There is a Balm in Gilead. A short synopsis: The Balm of Gilead is interpreted as a spiritual medicine that is able to heal Israel (and sinners in general).
Certainly Israel needs some spiritual medicine to heal, but why I kept thinking of this was still not altogether clear. Research continued.
Wikipedia had more to say: (It always has more to say) :
“In the Old Testament, the balm of Gilead is taken most directly from Jeremiah chapter 8 v. 22: “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wounds of my [God’s] people?” (Another allusion can also be found in Jeremiah chapter 46, v. 2 and 11: “This is the message (of the Lord) against the army of Pharaoh Neco … Go up to Gilead and get balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt, but you multiply remedies in vain; here is no healing for you” – see also Jeremiah chapter 22, v. 6.) [1]
The first appearance of the spiritual in something close to its current form is uncertain… The words of one version of the spiritual:
There is balm in Gilead,
To make the wounded whole;
There’s power enough in heaven,
To cure a sin-sick soul.
The meaning behind it is a hope and a longing for a better place. Certainly that is needed in the world of today. But there may be no balm in Gilead:
Until God’s people begin to seek His face, there will be no healing. God has provided a balm but it is necessary, before this balm is applied, to at least seek the face of God. Most people in the world of today will not seek the face of God. Some will, there will be healing for them. Those people will be of the Islamic Faith, not necessarily Muslims. Do remember that Islam is perfect – Muslims are not. I do see the imperfection of Muslims constantly – day in, and day out. I also see those of the Islamic Faith, who are faithful who constantly seek the face of God. We share the love of Allah (SWT). You shall hear of them in the upcoming blogs. I refuse to continue in negativity. The April 15, 2024 blog was admittedly negative, it spoke of imperfect Muslims and non Muslims (the General Manager of the Kohbar Garden Hilton Hotel is not a Muslim) . This negativity had to be spoken about to reveal the truth to the world. I constantly encounter negativity, people who take advantage of my kind heart, However, I shall not let them win. I will try my.utmost with the help of the Creator to retain my kind heart. I will, in the upcoming days, be surrounded by Shaytans, imperfect Muslims and those not of the faith.
It is my intention to keep focused: seeking the face of God at all times.
Yesterday morning my WhatsApp sent a Goof Morning greeting that will be pictured. “Salam and good morning Granny.”, picturing a beautiful little girl. It was sent by my Malaysian Sister.
I had sent some joyous news. She responded as a true friend would – with happiness at my good fortune.
She: Wow Awesome. I am jumping off the roof of happiness.
Me: Please do not. Please stay on the ground.
She: Hehehe I can’t. Help me pls. Hahaha
I do not have the technical skills to reproduce these on the blog. I will learn one day as I will have an in-house advisor.(it seems_ I sent a GIF – a begging puppy saying PLEASE. She responded with a saluting Noor avatar with an Okay emoji.
Me: Where did you find that saluting Avatar?
She: This one?
Me: Yes. And I love it when you obey me. Hahaha
Then I sent her the Good Morning greeting she had sent to me.
Me: Guess who gave this to me.
She: Me Me Me
Me: Can I put it on my blog?
She: Of coz…For good way
Me: You you you Wonderful you you you Alhamdulillah
She: Oh yea Oh yea Alhamdulillah
Me: Offered Fajr prayer. Now coffee and write my blog
She: Hmmm I join u later. Inshallah Alhandullilah
Me: Thank you for telling me my wonderful sister.
I suppose I should begin to explain something rather essential for any understanding. The reason she sent the greeting Salam and Good Morning Granny is because I have become a Granny to two wonderful little boys. It was painless actually – no labor pains, no pains at all just pure unadulterated joy. They, through their gifted, kind Muslim mother made the request. OF COURSE I said yes. I have been a Granny before , about thirty years ago. When asked what I wanted to be called, said “Granny Alexis” . Eight young children happily learned how to say Granny Alexis at a very young age. This time round I learned and am kind. These two children will only have to learn how to say Granny., not the Alexis part. English is not their native tongue, their first language. It is Hausa, a language I am assured, is easy to learn. I have heard it spoken, but only in a business setting.
Hausa has two definitions: 1. a member of a people of northern Nigeria 2 the Chadic language of the Hausa, spoken mainly in Nigeria and Niger, and widely used as a lingua franca in parts of West Africa.
Decided that this would be a short blog. I am in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with many plans for the day. A previous visit in July of 2023 was most eventual. I shall have some of the same experiences. Plans are to visit Historical Jeddah. You shall learn of it in a minute. .
Wikipedia informs:
Jeddah (English: /ˈdʒɛdə/ JED-ə), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda (/ˈdʒɪdə/ JID-ə; Arabic: جِدَّة, romanized: Jidda, Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [ˈ(d)ʒɪd.da]), is a port city in Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia, located along the Red Sea coast in the Hejaz region. Jeddah is the commercial center of the country. It is not known when Jeddah was founded, but Jeddah’s prominence grew in 647 when the Caliph Uthman made it a travel hub serving Muslim travelers going to the holy city of Mecca for Islamic pilgrimage. Since those times, Jeddah has served as the gateway for millions of pilgrims who have arrived in Saudi Arabia, traditionally by sea and recently by air.[5][6]
With a population of about 3,751,722 people as of 2022, Jeddah is the largest city in Makkah Province,[7] the largest city in Hejaz, the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia (after the capital Riyadh), and the ninth-largest in the Middle East. It also serves as the administrative centre of the OIC. Jeddah Islamic Port, on the Red Sea, is the thirty-sixth largest seaport in the world[8] and the second-largest and second-busiest seaport in the Middle East (after Dubai’s Port of Jebel Ali).
Jeddah is the principal gateway to Mecca Sharif, the holiest city in Islam, 65 kilometers (40 mi) to the east, while Medina, the second-holiest city, is 360 kilometers (220 mi) to the north. Economically, Jeddah is focusing on further developing capital investment in scientific and engineering leadership within Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East.[9] Jeddah was ranked fourth in the Africa, MiddIe East, and ‘stan countries region in the Innovation Cities Index in 2009.
Historical Jeddah is situated on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. From the 7th century AD, it was established as a major port for Indian Ocean trade routes, channeling goods to Mecca. It was also the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca who arrived by sea. These twin roles saw the city develop into a thriving multicultural center, characterized by a distinctive architectural tradition, including tower houses built in the late 19th century by the city’s mercantile elites, and combining Red Sea coastal coral building traditions with influences and crafts from along the trade routes.[60]
Within a defensive wall that was built during Ottoman rule, the old city of Jeddah, Al-Balad, was divided into districts, or Haras, where business and trade centered around traditional souks, or market places, and khans, covered markets that were generally connected to shops.
By the way, Wikipedia again informs. :
Salam (Arabic: سلام, salām), sometimes spelled salaam, is an Arabic word that literally means “peace”, but is also used as a general greeting, above all in Arab countries and by Muslim countries around the world in general.
As-salamu ʿalaykum (ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ) is a greeting in Arabic that means “peace be upon you”. The greeting is a standard salutation among Muslims, whether socially or within worship and other contexts. The typical response to the greeting is wa-ʿalaykumu as-salām (وَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ; “and upon you be peace”).
I am definitely looking forward to the day. Pictured will be my Good Morning Granny greeting and some of the photos of the Historical City taken on my last visit.
