My Word

In The Revelation to John, Jesus is called "the Alpha and the Omega," A-Z, the beginning and the end, the whole "alphabet!" It also seems reminiscent of John's other beautiful, symbolic name for Jesus, The Word. It has been written, "The pen is mightier than the sword," meaning words can wield even more power than violence. Words, such peaceful symbols of power, intelligence, beauty, knowledge, and wisdom. And so, what could be more powerful than the "word" of the WORD? The utterances of Christ can break all bonds, dispel all darkness. They have lent strength, hope, and courage to people of all ages, especially the persecuted. Those are powerful words!

Our daddy had a good bit of Greek and Latin under his belt, having originally studied to become a priest. His love of words and their origins was manifest many evenings at mealtime, as he "sliced" up words, along with the meat and veggies, to show us how they were made and what they meant. Prefixes, suffixes, and salad. There was a lot of food for thought. Then at the end of the meal came a special treat, one offered to us every evening. Huddled together in and around his lap, Daddy read us the entire funny page. I doubt if many of those comic strip characters are still having their ink adventures, but I still savor the memory of those delicious moments. I am most grateful to my Heavenly Father for entrusting me to the care of such a gentle, loving, earthly father - one who loved not only words, but more importantly, the Word.

Proverbs 20.7 - Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right.

Zechariah 1.5 - Your fathers and their prophets are now long dead, but remember the lesson they learned, that God's word endures!

James 1.18 - He gave us our new lives, through the truth of his Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in his new family.

Luke 4.4 - Jesus answered him saying: It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Matthew 4.4 - The Scriptures tell us that bread won't feed men's souls; obedience to every word of God is what we need.

John 6.27 - Labor not for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.

Revelation 19.13 - The name by which he is called is the Word of God.

Jeremiah 15.16 - Your words are what sustain me; they are food for my hungry soul.

2 Timothy 4.2 - Preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God's Word.

1 Thessalonians 2.13 - When we preached to you, you didn't think of the words we spoke as being just our own, but you accepted what we said as the very Word of God - and it changed your lives.

John 1.1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelation 22.13-14 - I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the Beginning and the End. Happy are those who will have washed their clothes clean, so that they will have the right to feed on the tree of life and come through the gates into the city.