Prepositional Phrase or Powerful Truth
I remember learning prepositional phrases in grade school. A preposition is a word such as: in, to, on, and with are usually used in front of nouns or pronouns and they show the relationship with words in a sentence. I became a technical editor at an Electric Cooperative years ago where I was the General Manager’s Administrative Assistant. Initially, one of my responsibilities was to simply read, proof, and edit submitted articles for the monthly newsletter and publication for its many members. Before long, I became a journalist as I interviewed employees and customers, and eventually became the editor of that monthly publication.
When we are willing to adapt to new learning experiences and then embrace them as our own, isn’t it amazing that we excel in new business and life opportunities? That on-the-job training has served me well as I continue to provide those skills to ministries and organizations today.
As a technical editor, I recognize the appropriate use of prepositions and am keen on being sure that I never leave them hanging at the end of a sentence. For example, incorrectly used: “I learned that skill at the company I worked for.” Correctly worded: “At the company I worked for, I learned that skill.” No big deal in casual communications like a text message or email, but when I was editing my daughter’s books or writing an article for her publications, I made sure I wasn’t leaving them hanging.
Enough of my grammar lesson for today because this post is about the proper understanding of the prepositions that should cause us all to feel absolutely charged up about important relationships. For example: Abraham Lincoln’s famous words from the Gettysburg Address were “a government OF the people, BY the people, FOR the people”, is memorable for its prepositions. AND, it’s a reminder that we, the people should step up and be determined that Godly people are acting on our behalf in our government.
But, even greater is our relationship with God. One of the ways we can discover more about Him and His relationship with us, is through the prepositions that indicate our position IN Him: “All things have been created THROUGH Him and FOR Him, and He is BEFORE all things, and IN Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17). Our entire relationship with God is very well expressed with three prepositions: We are IN Christ, WITH Christ, and UNDER Christ. “WITH God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 “WITHOUT Him we can do nothing.” John 15:5
We’re already fifteen days past Christmas Day, and I’m still thinking about that sweet Baby Boy’s birthday we just celebrated. That Baby was so packed full of hope and purpose that He linked us all together in time, space, people, places and things. We aren’t just hanging out there like an incorrect positioning of a prepositional phrase. No hanging, but He is fully IN us, living THROUGH us, WITH us, FOR us. We can apply all those prepositional phrases TO our lives WITH gratitude that the little BABY went FROM the manger TO the cross and BECAME our Sovereign Lord and Mighty King!
How awesome it is that in this new year we can have no fear because we are consumed with ALL that Christ is. As I wrote this blog, I remembered St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer that was loaded with prepositional phrases bearing truth that should give us confidence for each new day!
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
WITH God, all things are possible and WITH Him living IN us, 2022 is bound to be one of our best, most blessed years EVER!