WORD

INSANE!

That’s not the word for the weak. Though inadequate, “insane” merely describes the incredible creative power of the WORD. Imagine God speaking the entire universe into existence. In the pitch-black darkness, there was a booming voice that exploded, calling out every element. In the beginning, He might have declared, “LIGHT,” (my little mind assuming God didn’t care about sentence and grammar rules at that time). Lo and behold, there was light. Then He called the rest of the heavens and the Earth into order out of nothing.
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Mind-blowing! No narrative or film production could ever give justice to the ineffable creation scene. And what’s exciting is we can also speak order into our lives through a God-given word. We can speak a word into our lives because God first spoke. Since we’re formed in the image and likeness of God, we are His co-creators and co-laborers.

One word, based on Scripture, may do the job of multiple pages of New Year’s resolutions. It’s called “word for the year.” One word from God can build people, relationships, careers, lives, communities, etc.

Skeptic? That makes you and me, until I witnessed its effectivity in my daughter’s life. Those who know Jem will instantly believe me. Last year, Jem received from God “positivity” as her word for 2021 and Philippians 4:8 as her verse.

Skeptic? That makes you and me, until I witnessed its effectivity in my daughter’s life. Those who know Jem will instantly believe me. Last year, Jem received from God “positivity” as her word for 2021 and Philippians 4:8 as her verse.

Why positivity? If Jem were around Albert Einstein in his time, Jem’s negativity would have broken his doggedness and perseverance, and we wouldn’t be enjoying his inventions today.

A case in point, years ago, Jem had trouble moving on after a heartbreak. Her damaged sense of worth affected her confidence. Later, she got rejected for a job position she loved. Consecutive rejection hits knocked her down into the quagmire of despair. As her mother, I knew better not to break, but redirect my child’s strong will. 

Our continuing conversations may be likened to a world cruise with many disasters. Upon boarding, we’re both excited to get to a depression-free destination—at the shores of positivity. But tidal waves of painful memories, icebergs of doubts, flames of arguments washed out the beauty of new possibilities and open doors. After countless days, all-nighters and a million cups of tea, we circled back to our place of origin—depression and negativity.

But In 2021, Jem meditated on things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (Philippians4:8 MSG). This was her GPS to positivity. The result? She became confident  and journeyed from negative and inconsistent to positive and steadfast. 

Slowly, her teaching career burgeoned. She transformed from a fence-sitter to a decision-maker with her identity rooted in God. She didn’t slide into a negative slump, even after unpleasant job interviews or letters of rejection. Studying Japanese got her up every morning, and she made her bed every day (finally!). Bursting with creative ideas, Jem maintained a journaling streak that stretched to a third of a year. Entries included her goals, alternative plans, and new projects. Her vision to be a true gem of wisdom kept her motivated to sharpen the saw, as well as be spiritually and physically healthy.

What can I say? She’s now ahead of me by several miles. She even inspired me to start this blog outreach. Need I say that I, too, have a word for 2022? It’s “build”, based on:

1 Corinthians 3:10 (NLT)

Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.

Let me explain. The disheartening events of 2021 brought me to an existential crisis. I came into 2022 weak and empty. Nonetheless, I am ready to receive from God, build on the foundation which is Jesus, and reach out to those who, like me, are weak.
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Today, several constructions are halted, projects paused and lives on hold. Initially, I thought it untimely to build during times of increasing uncertainty. But God had always been counter-cultural, and He gave His promise in the following verses.

Isaiah 58:9-12 (NLT)
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Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
    ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
    Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
Feed the hungry,
    and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
    and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
The Lord will guide you continually,
    giving you water when you are dry
    and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like an ever-flowing spring.
Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
    Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
    and a restorer of homes.

And I move forward with His marching orders. Build on small beginnings. Build people, projects, and networks. Build on the ruins - from ashes to beauty.
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If you ask God for your word for 2022 and its Scriptural basis, God can speak order, meaning, and purpose in your life. I say this with confidence because John’s book starts with “In the beginning was the Word.” The Greek translation for “Word” is “Logos,” which means cause, reason, work, and hastening. 

This same Word, which called the world into existence, actually dwelt as a human being among us. And now, that same Word, Jesus, lives in us if you allow Him to dwell in your heart. So inside of you is the Living Word that will recreate your life.

By the way, “logos” is closely related to the Greek word “lego,” which reminds me of my son’s favorite brand of building blocks as a child. I envision arranging and stacking the blocks God gives me into a wonderful creation.

What do you think is God’s word for you in 2022?