The Power of the Word…

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By Kathy Parish

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 (NIV)

You know how your mind sometimes gets hold of a concept, an idea, and you can’t let it go, but you can’t really put that thought pattern into a coherent sentence? I think I’m there, folks. It all started when a seed was planted in my head. The seed is the idea that, no matter what I am writing or the purpose of that composition, it seems to touch the most disparate people in the most unexpected ways. I was drawn to Jesus’ Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13: 1-23. My words may fall on a preoccupied mind and, be “snatched away” by the many distractions of this earthly life. Words may fall on a mind starved for encouragement or guidance or hope. That mind may feast on the words one has written, but, having no root system to nourish the concept, when trouble comes, rapidly forgets those words. In similar fashion, the reader whose mind and heart are captivated by the words may be soon undone when worries and temptations and desires for worldly wealth leave no place for the hope, comfort, and peace that God gives. But, just sometimes, that word comes at just the right moment, to just the right person, who is facing just the right challenge or grief or situation, and that word takes root. It changes an attitude or a mindset or a heart–it changes a life for the better–sometimes for just a short while but sometimes for the “long haul”. And isn’t that what we all want to do? Change our reader’s lives in a positive way?

God has put this desire, this gift into each of us. I believe he attaches special importance to words. After all, he spoke this world into being with words. John called Jesus “the Word.” We refer to the Holy Bible as God’s “word.” What are you doing with your words? Trust me, validation can come in the most unexpected way.

Confession: I am late in writing and submitting this blog. But, I believe God planned it that way. Fourteen months ago, after my son’s suicide, I posted several blogs written as letters to him. This morning I received a text from his daughter, my granddaughter. She confessed that she had avoided reading any of those posts. Until now. Until now she had been angry at her father, feeling that his act was somehow a reflection that she and her lovely daughter were not “good enough” as family for him to stick around. In one of my letters, I had expressed the thought that he left us because he felt he was not “good enough” for his daughter and granddaughter. She says her anger resolved at the moment she accepted that thought.

Your words are important. Never doubt that God can use them in the most unexpected ways.

Kathy ParishKathy Parish lives with her beloved husband, daughter, grandson, and miniature Schnauzer, Piper, in central Arkansas. Her faith is the foundation of her life. An actively practicing cardiology nurse practitioner, she has indie published one inspirational romance, Freely Given.

Comments 0

  1. I am so sorry for your loss. You are right, our words are important and we may never know those words affect someone. God can use our words in many wonderful ways.

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