Is the Bible About Us, or About God?
What the verbs in the Bible reveal.
I have been thinking multiple times this last week about Samuel, and how even though the Lord literally spoke to him, he needed Eli to help interpret what he said.
Then I came again across this email that my friend Adrienne sent me a few years ago.
“The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’” (1 Samuel 3:10 NIV).
I had never noticed the verb. The Lord came and stood and called Samuel. Standing there. Implies that he was physically there. Not necessarily a vision.
If I had been Eli, I would have wanted to get up to see if I would also see or hear from the Lord. Peek in on Samuel.
And also, rather than merely accepting the word of damnation and curse over his family, perhaps repentance would have been a better choice? A contrite spirit? Correcting his sons or not allowing them to serve anymore? Something?
But really, how cool, that the Lord was STANDING right there.
Years ago I started reading the Bible in Genesis and marking all of the verbs of God. Like he spoke or hovered or performed signs, etc. I didn’t make it all the way to Samuel in my reading project, but super insightful for the time that I did it.
(Interesting tidbit. The first chapter to not mention God was the one about Judah and Tamar his daughter-in-law. Genesis 38.)
I did learn about how much the Bible is about God. The story of God and his love and faithfulness and other attributes. Sometimes I had felt it was about the people of God and about their songs and visions, but really, it’s about God.
There’s your random thought for the day about verbs in the Bible. And today’s verb. Stand.
Lord, thank you that your word is about you, and how you interact with your people in the world. Amen.
To the God and father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever,
Amy Joy
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