BEHOLD!

BEHOLD! Behold has been My One Word for 2023! 

Until then, I had not given the word much thought. In my head I saw it in all caps followed by at least one exclamation point! BEHOLD!

Premier Christianity's definition was enlightening to me. 

Behold means “look!”, “open your eyes!” or “pay attention!” I’ve started to notice how it’s so often paired with an exclamation mark – the grammatical equivalent of a slap in the face. It’s not a gentle request. It’s a command. When God uses it, he’s grabbing us by the collar, urging us to notice something incredible that we’re currently ignoring.

Knowing Jesus noted 1527 occurrences of behold in 12 translations.

"Be sure to see" is the literal translation of the Greek word eido.

'Behold' is used 1,298 times in the King James version of the Bible. It is derived from the Greek word 'eido,' which has the literal translation of: be sure to see.

I had never really given the word much thought. But it actually appears in the scriptures about 500 times depending on the translation, so it’s probably worthy of a bit of consideration.

Behold means “look!”, “open your eyes!” or “pay attention!” I’ve started to notice how it’s so often paired with an exclamation mark – the grammatical equivalent of a slap in the face. It’s not a gentle request. It’s a command. When God uses it, he’s grabbing us by the collar, urging us to notice something incredible that we’re currently ignoring. https://www.premierchristianity.com/columnists/god-says-behold-1500-times-in-the-bible-heres-what-it-means/6136.article

For me, it's the personal aspect of God's Presence that is something to behold!

And behold I am with you always even until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20, ESV)

Sarah Young certainly shared the importance of peace in His Presence when she served me tea, 10 years ago today.

Today, O Lord may I BEHOLD! and focus on your Presence in my life. It does bring peace as Sarah knows first hand!

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY!

"Cultivating Community" communicates relational identity that requires deposits from participants. Plural. Think reciprocity.

A continual devotion to apostles' teaching and fellowship of believers.

Cultivating Community in no way negates getting alone to spend time in prayer or meditating on God's Word.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 states that the "Lord has placed eternity in our hearts." Embedded in each of us is a sense of something more..... a longing.

Two needs of life resonate with each of us....to belong and to matter. Fellowship supports those truths. Longing for belonging.

Long to belong--a bedrock for Christian fellowship

Theology of Togetherness. Made to be known. Knowing we matter to God. 

NO "I"-dentity.

"We"-dentity. In Christ together.

Sounds like fellowship at its best.....aligned with awe and one purpose.

Single-mindedness in worship; yet, unity in diversity. Practicing/preserving that diversity without slamming another's politics or opinions on social media. Do unto others....for their benefit. (John 13:34)

You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you. (John Bunyan)

A community coming together to know Him and make Him known not in words alone but in our actions. 

Cultivation that bears fruit of awe and purpose that blesses community.

MIRACLES!

I believe in miracles. Or do I?

When things in my life seem so apparently from the hand of God....that's a miracle for me.

I might not have a bumper sticker proclamation.....

"MIRACLES HAPPEN"

 .....But God showed me this am through my H.O.G. (Hand Of God prayer card) that it can be the small faith that keeps us (God's Ambassadors) from experiencing the genuinely miraculous. (Jim Fleming #67)

Maybe I need a "miracle" bumper sticker reminder for my head...and my heart! (Ephesians 2:4) 

FORGIVING FRIDAY!

Mr. Snarky on the back row did not even know he had offended me.

"TIT FOR TAT" is the idiom that came to mind. I wanted to repay in kind.

I had to appropriate restraint--not in words spoken but in nasty, impure thoughts.

I needed to practice kindness.

Timely Scotty wrote, which I did not read until I returned home from the gym, "Jesus doesn't repay in kind but in kindness."

CONVICTION!

Forgiveness needed. I asked the Lord to forgive my own snarky thoughts. 

I'm not sure what the next step will be but I hope it's wrapped in kindness!

GRACE-FORGED FRIENDSHIP DAY!

In our culture there are days for everything, even food! 

January 12-Hot Tea Day. January 26-Peanut Brittle Day.

April 5-Caramel Day. 

June 10-Iced Tea Day. July 1-Pecan Pie Day.

October 28-Chocolate Day. 

Yesterday was National Lemon Meringue Pie Day.

You get the idea---or at least an idea of those I celebrate "in the flesh."

What about more significant days for believers???

Scotty asked, "When is "Grace-Forged Friendships Day?" 

EVERYDAY! 

It makes everyday "gospel-icious." (Cole Huffman) especially as we desire to age gracefully. 

"A gospel-posse." (Scotty)  Dynamic Duo. Terrific Trio. A Quad Squad.

Christians on the same side of the struggle. (Ellen)

Believers who have been there, i.e. experienced that, can offer deep understanding, like-minded prayers and comfort so one does not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:16) 

A Fellowship of Believers' Day......

.....grace-forged with hope-filled prayers.(Romans 15:13)

ἀδύνατος (adunatos)

 ἀδυνατέω or ἀδύνατος 

It's all Greek to me! But the pronunciation helped! My phonetic scribble,

a-doo-natos, helped me find adunatos, anendektos and ad-oo-nat-eh'-o. 

So why think about it; much less write about it?

It is Meditation Monday! I do love a challenge, even one probably out of my spiritual reach.

But God......helped me find verses that were and integral part of my "hunt."

Adjective use in Luke 17:1. Verb usage in Matthew 17:20 and Luke 1:37.

So.........what's the word that is the subject of this meditative search. IMPOSSIBLE!

The abundant life is not possible in our own strength but through the Holy Spirit when we die to self. (Luke 17:1)

For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37, NAS)

I fell better, how about you?

A NEW DAY DAWNING!

🎶 "The sun comes up it's a new day dawning; 

It's time to sing your song again.

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,

Let me be singing when the evening comes."🎶

 

In other words, Keep my focus on you Lord so that I may worship your holy Name....as I did the first time I heard this song, "10,000 Reasons"... in 2012 in Ukraine!

FRIDAY FOCUS: A REFOCUS !!!

Anyone having trouble with focus?

Is it a physical condition? Mind? Spiritual? All the above?!

Whatever the reason, I'm sill dealing with it! 

Living without focus is like living in a gray world! Think cataract surgery needed.

I know where to go....God's Word. Embarrassingly enough, while I'm there I can easily begin planning supper or lack there of said plan. ARGGG!

Focus? Surely focus + focus + focus = REFOCUS

 

Growing weary outwardly this past week with my "distracted" mind malady, I asked Him to renew me inwardly day by day....with a spiritual refocus. 

A focus of hope-filled trust (Romans 15:13) and firmness of stance. (1 Corinthians 15:58) 

It was not a "one and done" attempt.

However, this acceptance of the need to refocus calmed my heart and filled me with hope.

PITHY WITH A "WORDSMITH" PUNCH

I don't even know who Scotty is....only that he's a wordsmith friend of my friend, Doris.

Anyone who can use poetry, metaphor and simile along with astonish, flourish and nourish in two sentences to expound Psalm 63:2, is a WORDSMITH in all caps.

So glad to meet you Scotty. Thanks Doris for the introduction of your "pithy with a punch" friend. 

May we all flourish as God's Word nourishes us today!

SOS ...---...

SOS, in 1905  was a distinct Morse code maritime disaster signal originally used as an assistance request. It has also been used as a visual request with three short, three long, three short flashes of light. 

SOS, by folk etymology, is an abbreviation of Save Our Souls!

That's the SOS appeal that speaks to my heart! I continue to seek the sin that besets my own heart.  Realization.....I need many SOS reminders to save me from myself!

Amos 6:1-7, says, "WOE to those who are at ease.....Are you better than...?

WOE to those...stretched out on their couches.....who sing idle songs, drink wine in bowls,...annoint themselves with fines oils?"

The Lord abhors such pride (v.8) It sounds like the sin of self-satisfaction to me.

How sinful I am! 

Focusing on ease and contentment being great among them. 

Me-ism.(New Morning Mercies, 8/3)

Journal jottings (5 of 10) as meditation on SOS has continued these last 

5 days. But.....examples became a jumble when folks opened the SOS list so....I left one & moved others to end of entry.* 

Sin

Of        

Self      

After my own T.H.O.T. S---Trusting Him On This Subject.....I went to Allacronyms.com  I got more than I bargained for from this on-line Acronyms and Abbreviation Dictionary...1.5k popular meanings of SOS!

So.....I went back to Seeking Only Scripture----the best answer to a distress call for help!

*

Selfishness Of Sin

Stop Overwhelming Sin

Service Over Self

Satan  Owns Sin 

Savior Occludes Sin...........in order to Save Our Souls!