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Genesis 17:15-19 God said - Day 16

Good afternoon faithful readers,

A word of encouragement to use a bible with Strong's numbers and a Strong's dictionary.  You don't have to be a Hebrew or Greek scholar to pick up on the nuances of the original words that can be lost in the translation process.  Today's devotional give an example of this.

Blessings,

Jeff 

God said...  

âmar; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude): — answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge,

Same word as Genesis 1. When God speaks, what he says happens.  And same word for human speech.  

A person speaks.  We share personhood with God. We speak because we are created in His image. But when we speak, what we say does not happen.   

I tend to focus on what is said. What do the words mean. But who says the words is not to be forgotten or overlooked.   In this case, God spoke and Abraham laughed. The One who spoke creation into existence says Sarah will have a child, laughter is sin. Abraham, the man of faith, rejected what God said. 

What is said says so much about the character of who said it.  Or is it who said it that gives insight into what it means? 

Confession - I am so proud of the words I put on paper, spending time to get them just right.  But then the reader or listener applies a filter and feels free to ignore what I have said or written. I treat what You have said the same way. Like Abraham, I laugh and think You don't notice. 

Prayer

Our Father - what can I say or do about the disrespect I have for Your words.  Even at my best I walk away unchanged. Abba, Father is not on my lips. 

Hallowed be - the One who speaks complete truth. There is no opinion or conditional statement. The One who alone has power to bring about what You say.   All the political speech on both sides is empty rhetoric. Restrain me ant all Your people from foolish response to what You have said. 


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