words

It's always interesting to me to observe the different eddies and swirls in the flow of life with God. I never talk enough about Him, and it's partly because all the words that we're used to hearing and speaking to describe Him are precisely that - we're used to them, and they tend to lie flatly in my mouth. Terms like spiritual growth, living water, revival- all precisely descriptive, but it's not only non-native speakers of Christianese who tune out at their mention. We all do. In my unending quest to stray from the expected, lately I've been trying to find words that aren't stupor-inducing to describe that vivid reality of His presence. And I'm not having much success. He is so far beyond our words sometimes that I feel like it's almost inappropriate to try and force Him into them.

I think it's for that same reason that His Word is living (Heb. 4:12). It's not just the Bible being described as living, it's that His own words about Himself are multi-dimensional, active, not stale, and not confined to our short-sighted descriptions. We use dead words to try to put God into our understanding; He uses living words to give us a starting place to expand our knowledge of Him. His words are just the beginning - to actively take us from just that, words, into the vibrant knowledge of Him that includes our senses and hearts and souls. Yes, His Word is truly active - it awakens, it grips, it shows, it lightens, it cools, it quenches, it ignites, it soothes, it troubles, it feeds. It is exquisite in that way only He can be.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. (Ps. 51:15)