THREE LITTLE WORDS.
THREE LITTLE WORDS!
Three little words!
Tell me, what came to your mind when you read that?
I wouldn’t be surprised if you thought of “I LOVE YOU.” After all, those three little words have been spoken, sung and written about countless times. And rightly so!
But today, I want to share three other little words with you. Words that we may easily overlook when reading the Scriptures, yet they carry such powerful assurances. Here they are:
IS. NO. NEVER.
Some time ago, while driving home, these three words came strongly to my mind. I was so struck by what they meant that I immediately recorded my thoughts on my phone because I did not want to forget them.
Very recently, while listening to that recording again, I found myself marvelling afresh at the power of these seemingly ordinary words.
Let me share them with you.
IS
Psalm 46:1 KJV declares:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Now, please pay attention to that little word IS.
The Scripture does not say God was our refuge and strength. Neither does it say that He will become our refuge and strength.
The Scripture clearly says GOD IS!
And to me, that means a great deal. In simple terms, “There is no time that God is not!”
Please, think about that for a moment!
There is no time in my life when God will not be my refuge and strength. There is no season, no circumstance, no situation that can change who God is.
Following from this, the Scripture goes on to describe Him as “a very present help in trouble.”
Not a distant help. Not an occasional help. Not a help that becomes available only when circumstances improve.
A VERY PRESENT HELP!
The Word of God assures us further by saying:
“For I am the LORD, I change not…” — Malachi 3:6 (KJV)
So when I say there is no time that He is not, I am resting in the truth of God’s unchanging nature.
He is my refuge today. He will still be my refuge tomorrow. He will be my refuge forever.
What a powerful assurance is contained in that little word, IS!
HE IS!
NO
Now let us consider another little word NO.
Isaiah 54:17 KJV declares:
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”
NO!
Not some weapons. Not certain categories of weapons. Not merely the weapons we can see or understand. NO WEAPON!
The Scripture does not promise that weapons will never be formed against us. In fact, it acknowledges that they may be formed.
But it makes a declaration concerning their success. THEY SHALL NOT PROSPER!
Therefore, we must build our confidence on that promise. Not in the absence of opposition, but in the promise of God. Whatever form the opposition takes, we can hold fast to what God has said about it.
IT SHALL NOT PROSPER!
What a word!
NEVER
And now to the third little word.
Hebrews 13:5 KJV says:
“…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Please read that again.
“I will NEVER leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
And perhaps one more time, for emphasis.
“I will NEVER leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
NEVER!
Do you see what that means?
Wherever I am, wherever I go, whatever circumstances I find myself in, I have God’s promise that He will not abandon me.
Not when life is comfortable.
Not when the road becomes difficult.
Not when things turn out differently from what I had hoped or planned.
NEVER!
There may be moments when I feel alone, overwhelmed or uncertain. But my feelings do not cancel His promise.
He has said He will never leave me nor forsake me. And that is an assurance worth holding on to.
Now, isn’t it remarkable how much meaning can be carried by such small words?
IS. NO. NEVER.
Three little words, each drawing our attention to a wonderful assurance in the Word of God.
And there are so many more treasures waiting to be discovered!
Sometimes we read familiar Scriptures so quickly that we often overlook the significance of individual words. Yet a single word can cause us to stop, reflect and see a familiar promise in a fresh light.
I want to encourage us to take our time as we read the Scriptures. Let us pay attention to the little words. We will discover that most of them pack a punch and speak so powerfully of God’s nature, His promises and His faithfulness. Let us not hurry past them.
We must pause, consider and believe what He has said, allowing His Word to strengthen and steady our hearts.
Because sometimes, the biggest assurances are carried by the smallest words.
Be blessed as you search through the Scriptures for your own three little words!
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©