Based on Isaiah 55 (New King James Version)
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you—the sure mercies of David. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people. Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you.’ Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.’”
Blaise Pascal once said: “Words differently arranged have a different meaning, and meanings differently arranged have different effects.” Have you ever thought about the nature of words? How did languages come to exist? Why can words affect us positively or negatively? What is really behind words? What is it that gives a word meaning or its value?
If we think about it, in a simple way, words are just letters or characters (like in Asian languages) based on certain sounds, depending on how they are pronounced and put together. In a physical sense, a word is something insignificant. Notwithstanding, for humanity, there can be no communication or understanding without words. It is the only way to understand each other, of being able to talk, to come to agreements, to give value to things, express feelings, stipulate contracts, etc. The only way we can express clearly complete thoughts and ideas is through words. We don’t have another way to communicate effectively. So, how does this collection of letters or characters come to make sense for us (I’m trying to go beyond languages, something deeper)?
Looking at things scientifically, everything that is experienced as a human being on this planet is based on the brain’s interpretations, by receiving electrical signals transmitted by the detectors that are connected to the five sense: vision, touch, smell, taste, and hearing. So then, if our reality is determined by electrical pulsations interpreted by the brain, what is reality? (That’s another topic, but it’s related to what we are talking about today). By joining both things, words work in conjunction with our senses to help us understand and survive on this material world.
Now then, if we introduce the Word of God, the issue is even made more complex. We are getting ourselves into something much deeper: the relationship between the senses, the mind, words, the visible world, and the invisible and eternal dimension. Here is where the idea of words have a multidimensional impact. If we let the Word of God guide us, words are essential, but when interlaced with the soul. In other words, it’s not just about something intellectual, but also of joining words with a person’s soul: the deepest thing in a human being. The words that we find in the Holy Scriptures are more than just good literature, but also, an explanation to the universe and the eternal.
To start, everything began with Almighty God pronouncing or mentioning creation into existence. He spoke and things came to exist; everything that was created (we are not a cosmic accident). Everything was made through the Word of God. For it is written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4. The Word, or the Logos (in the Greek), was the Word of God made life through Christ. Christ is the Word of God or the action of God. Existence is only possible through Him. The light, trees, animals, stars; from the smallest to the most infinite was made through the Word of God. Humans exist and subsist because the Word of God makes it possible. Every human being lives because the person of God through Christ makes it possible.
And well, there are those that accept the Word of God, and others will not. The Scriptures relate this story: “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” John 6:60-69. Peter had started to understand the value of the Lord’s words; that they were more than words. It is also written: “But Jesus answered him, saying, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’’” Luke 4:4. If someone does not realize the importance of what God says, they will never come to understand that everything is in God’s words. They will sink in other words without meaning and significance. The one who looks for God and His Word will find the eternal knowledge that transcends the temporal and imperfect. Do you understand that God is more than words? Lord bless! John