What Transitions & Punctuation Teach Us
“For David says of Him,
(The Acts of the Apostles 2: 25-28 NASB)
‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE,
FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN,
THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE,
BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,
NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.
YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’ ”
- Thank You, LORD, for today, for Your Grace.
- Thank You, LORD, for saving my soul, by Your Grace.
- Thank You, LORD, for life here and for life eternal, given through Your Grace.
- Thank You, yes, thank You, LORD GOD of all creation, for saving a sinner such as me, by Your Grace.
“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,
(The Letter of Paul to the Colossians 1: 13-16 NASB)
and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by Him all things were created,
both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
Last night as I visited my best friend’s house, sharing coffee and conversation, I found entertainment in quizzing her daughter’s friend with questions. This young friend was blessed with a unique name, one that required “a spelling bee” of sorts for me to totally appreciate her uniqueness. Isn’t it lovely when we are given times of playfulness, seeing the beauty of the day found simply in the pleasures of a uniquely, spelled name.
This morning, as I opened my Bible, I was reminded of last night’s joyful time as I read Scripture filled with a plethora of transitional words and unique punctuation, all glorifying
JESUS—THE SON OF GOD WHO BRINGS SALVATION TO THE WORLD.
The apostle Peter was preaching at The Day of Pentecost to the Jewish men of Israel, and in his message, he told them about a man named Jesus, a man who had been put to death, nailed to the cross, in fact.
Then Peter quoted a portion of the 16th Psalm of David, utilizing a variety of transitions.
- “I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE,
- FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN,
- THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED,
- MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE,
- BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,”
In this season of Thanksgiving, and in every season, we proclaim—
- Thank You, LORD, for saving my soul, for Your Grace.
- Thank You, LORD, for life here and for life eternally given through Your Grace.
- Thank You, yes, thank You, LORD GOD of all creation, for saving a sinner such as me, by Your Grace.
- Thank You, LORD, for Your Grace.
Allow us to be witness of YOU today, of the GRACE YOU offer to those who are lost, who do not yet know YOU as SAVIOR.
“For by Him all things were created,
(The Letter of Paul to the Colossians 1: 16 NASB)
both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities
—all things have been created through Him and for Him.”