He chose. He guides. Protects and resides.
He plans. He gives. Fulfills and He lives.
God is a verb.
He is. He was. Pursues and He does.
He gave. He restores. Connects and much more.
God is a verb.
As I have spent time with the Lord over the last few weeks, there's been one recurring theme that I have noticed - God is a verb. Of course, we all know that in English, God is a proper noun. But as I dig deeper in my reading, all I seem to notice is how much God does. He's a God of constant action; He embodies it, in everything I see. So for me, at least today as I write, God is a verb.
Back in "the day", English was my favorite subject in high school. In fact, it was the only subject I felt like I really understood. The two main kinds of verbs that I remember learning about were called LINKING verbs and ACTION verbs. I'm pretty sure they've re-defined some of these verbs and maybe even made up new categories to teach kids these days, but those are the two kinds I remember, anyway.
Linking verbs were defined as verbs that didn't necessarily express direct action, but they connected the subject of the verb to some additional information. The list I memorized encompassed words like IS, AM, WAS, WERE, ARE, BE, BEING, and BEEN. So as I explored this whole "God is a verb" topic, I started to think about that list. What does God say to Moses in Exodus 3:14? God says, "I AM WHO I AM...Tell them I AM has sent me to you." Revelation 1:8 says "I AM the Alpha and Omega...who IS, who WAS, and who IS to come." You know what I love most about these verses? He loves me so much that He connects me to Him; He LINKS me!. He cares about ever detail. I have no need to ever worry, because HE IS. HE WAS. He always WILL BE.
Psalm 46:1 "God IS our refuge and strength; He IS always ready to help in times of trouble!"
Psalm 23:1 "The Lord IS my shepherd..."
Revelation 1:8 "I AM the Alpha and Omega...who WAS and IS and IS to come!"
Then of course there are ACTION verbs, and this is what has really caught my eye in my reading. God is constantly at work. He's a God of action. He isn't in heaven on a throne just judging my every move. No. He is at work in even the smallest detail.
Here's a sampling of some of the ACTION God has shown me in my reading over the last few weeks:
Psalm 103 He FORGIVES my sins. He HEALS my diseases. He REDEEMS my life from the pit. He CROWNS me with love and compassion. He SATISFIES my desires with good things. He RENEWS my youth.
Psalm 23 He IS my shepherd. He LEADS beside still waters. He RESTORES my soul. He RENEWS my strength. He's the GIVER of rest. He GUIDES me along the right paths. He PROTECTS and COMFORTS me. He PREPARES a feast for me. He PURSUES me.
Psalm 119:105 He GUIDES my feet. He LIGHTS my path.
Proverbs 3:5-6 He SHOWS me the path to take.
Matthew 11:28 & Psalm 91:1 He GIVES rest!
Jeremiah 31:3 He LOVES me with an unfailing love. He DRAWS me to Himself!
Ephesians 1:5 He ADOPTED me.
I could go on and on. Read for yourself and make up your own list for a few days. It's amazing how much my God can do for each of us, simultaneously, and never without letting one of us be forgotten. He never drops the ball. Why? Because He IS.
From time to time, I watch some of those reality shows about survival. I don't know a lot about surviving in the outdoors, but one thing I have picked up on is that you should never drink from a stagnant pool of water. If I was stuck out in the wilderness looking for water, the safest water I could find is one where the water is moving. From what I understand, this means that the bacteria is less likely to be present. The point is, if God is a verb, then I should be as well. I can't be stagnant. Like a gentle moving stream or raging river, ever moving and flowing, I need to keep moving forward in my relationship with Jesus. Digging deeper. Reflecting Him more in my actions. Serving others more. Drawing closer to Him. Never being satisfied with where I am, but always yearning for the stream to flow harder and faster, while washing out the impurities.
I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I'm in the middle of that fast moving water, holding for dear life on to my "floaties", hoping not to drown. That's when Jesus says, "I WILL SHOW you the path to take." "I WILL PROTECT you and COMFORT you." "I WILL SATISFY you." "I WILL GIVE you rest." And He does. Every time. And He lifts me up and keeps me moving forward. Why? Because God IS a verb.
--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com