January 12, 2010
exclamation points
Posted by Garry
I love exclamation points!
The exclamation mark was introduced into English printing in the 15th century, and was called the ‘note of admiration’ until the mid 17th century. In German orthography, the sign made its first appearance in the Luther Bible, first printed in 1534. Dorky history lesson over… doesn’t that seem appropriate.
Doesn’t it seem appropriate that a heightened expression of admiration would have to be created to appropriately reveal the creator of the universe? I shouldn’t read the scriptures in a stale internal monotone. That is not the God we serve. An exclamation point is attributed to Jesus’ words 153 times! God is fully emotive, and so are the people that comprise the scriptures that reveal him. It’s not methodical and drab. It’s much more inspiration and revolution.
When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! (Genesis 8:10) That is joy and awe. That is knowing you have provision and hope. That is a ‘note of admiration’ by the writer of Genesis. I think sometimes we run the risk of becoming so familiar with the accounts of scripture that our own familiarity is imposed on the events. Noah didn’t know the dove would return with the olive leaf. Noah didn’t know exactly what God was up to, or how this would turn out. He had faith. He had hope. And when God reminded him that he would never leave him he was as overwhelmed… as we are, when we first realize the same.
I love exclamation points! I love that they turn the volume up on our following the Master. I love that this Christian life – this striving to learn, love, and live the way of Jesus for the sake of others – is filled with more than periods.
In this season, when Summit has so much to celebrate and admire about God building his Church, I don’t know what I would do without exclamation.
God is opening the opportunity,
through creativity and innovation,
through imperfect people like you and me,
for more people to know they are loved by him and have a part to play in his story!
Multi-site!
I pray that I don’t forget to turn the volume up once in a while. I pray that when I read the Word I remember the passion, and love, and hope that went into telling the story that is too good not to be true. I pray that I don’t forget to admire all that God is doing at Summit and in my life, and that he continually calls all of us in to be a part of pulling his vision forward.
