WORD and images

 Isaiah 40:8

King James Version

8 The grass withereth, 

the flower fadeth: 

but the word of our God 

shall stand for ever.

I'm going back to how I used to write before.

GOD gave me my own way of writing when I was a kid.

I didn't even need images then.

Given a word, I could write volumes on it.

Given a theme, the result would be the same.

That's how I found essays were easy for me.

How I loved writing essays!

It was like second nature to me.

Others are good at math.

Others are good at debates.

Others are good at academics.

I have an easy time writing.

I don't know when I started deviating.

Perhaps, it started when someone gave me my first camera -- a Nikon autofocus -- in 1984.

That started the pictures rolling.

Opportunities in the media came in the mid-80s.

Somehow, people "felt" I could write.

Hired as assistant editor, I did short interviews for an expat newspaper.

My weekly "inquiring photographer" section naturally called for photos.

My British editor loaned me a cool cam that took two frames at a time.

As photojournalist, I was also covering the business, arts, culture, and entertainment scene.

Naturally, I was tasked to take pictures of events.

Hired to write for a public relations agency, I had to come up with captions for beauty, and fashion, photographs.

Hired to be managing editor for a business journal, all the more photographs were needed.

Now that I look back into those, I can safely say those jobs made me deviate from how I normally write.

To just write freely, without images.

As born again over 57 months now, of course, I don't write, as the world would have me write.

I have a different MASTER.

I've been writing for GOD.

I write about His laws.

I write about His commands.

I write about His warnings.

I write about His prophecies.

Doing all that makes me workman, and watchman.

Caring for your soul, as well as for mine.

Today, I've decided to go back to how I started writing.

Without images.

No distractions for me, or you.

That ought to be a good sign.

Reflective of my growth as a student of SPIRIT.

Considering how the world's going.

Having a perpetual obsession with images.

Bombarding our brains with too many competing images.

Now, they even add music, to every image on social media.

It's really a "watch me", "admire me" generation now.

As born again, my brain is wired differently.

Where before, it's been said:

"Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words."

-- Wikipedia on Arthur Brisbane quote

Today, SPIRIT fed me a different thought:

"The WORD is worth a thousand images."

(A word like "JESUS", for one.)

Further:

"GOD's WORD suffices."

Now, without the distraction of searching for appropriate images for my posts, I can focus solely on GOD's WORD.

And really meditate upon it.

As a baby Christian in 2019, I had a "frenzy" of sorts.

All because I waited so long to know ABSOLUTE truth.

And when JESUS led me to it, I just wrote, and wrote, and wrote.

I couldn't fill enough notebooks, blogs, and posts, to "document" my findings.

Today, the "frenzy" is gone.

Serenity has taken its place.

Now, I can truly savor GOD's WORD.

But that 57-month frenzy had a purpose.

All the ground work was laid, serving as foundation.

Now, I can merely draw from those, as links.

Now, I make time to write, and edit, longer, and slower,

The volume of ideas remains the same.

If anything, there's more to write about now.

And I need not be bogged down searching for images.

Images can be an addiction.

Watch most people everywhere.

They're glued to phones.

Taking a selfie here.

Taking pictures of almost everything.

Documenting every breath, meal, look, or festivity.

And sharing it with the world, who does the same.

With many platforms to enable us.

I'm done with images.

All the images that matter, are in my heart now.

Plus, of course, we have hard copies from photographs.

I come from that generation.

GOD's WORD speaks for itself.

Through the articles SPIRIT inspires me to write.

GOD's WORD suffices.

It is POWER on its own.

With no help from me, or anyone.

It's so powerful, it's all that will remain.

JESUS confirms GOD's declaration through this verse:

Matthew 24:35

King James Version

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, 

but my words shall not pass away.

The only thing that will remain, is GOD's WORD.

The perfect image for the WORD?

JESUS.

John 1:14

King James Version

14 And the Word was made flesh, 

and dwelt among us, 

(and we beheld his glory, 

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) 

full of grace and truth.

Related material:

JESUS

WORD of GOD

SOUL-saving WORD

Curious name HANNAH

 

1 Samuel 1:2

King James Version

2 And he had two wives; 

the name of the one was Hannah, 

and the name of the other Peninnah: 

and Peninnah had children, 

but Hannah had no children.

Definitely a curious, if not strange, day yesterday.

The name "Hannah" surfaces, within minutes of each other.

From one sci-fi movie I saw partly --

"Linguist Louise Banks's daughter Hannah dies at the age of twelve from an incurable illness."

-- "Arrival" movie on Wikipedia

to a documentary, as I shifted to another station:

Host Hannah Fry on "The Secret Genius of Modern Life".

-- Daily Motion

I also learned a new thing.

The word "palindrome".

"A palindrome is a word, number, phrase, or other sequence of symbols that reads the same backwards as forwards, such as madam or racecar"

Like the year 1881.

And HANNAH.

In the science fiction movie "Arrival", little Hannah remarked her name reads the same backward, or forward.

That was my first encounter with the word "palindrome".

What is it about the "Hannah" name today?

Came in two's, one after another.

That's a rare occurrence, so I need to check.

I let SPIRIT lead the way.

I waited for His usual "clues", and "prompts".

What did He want me to find out?

Should I check?

SPIRIT knew I would.

He didn't make me "workman" for nothing.

First, I check "The Name Book", and here's what I found:

Next, I check Scripture.

What does the Bible say?

Is there a "Hannah" in the Bible?

For sure.

We learn that she was childless, so she prayed to GOD.

1 Samuel 1:10-11

King James Version

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, 

and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, 

O Lord of hosts, 

if thou wilt indeed look 

on the affliction of thine handmaid, 

and remember me, 

and not forget thine handmaid, 

but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, 

then I will give him unto the Lord 

all the days of his life, 

and there shall no razor come upon his head.

GOD granted her wish to have a "man child":

1 Samuel 1:20

King James Version

20 Wherefore it came to pass, 

when the time was come about 

after Hannah had conceived, 

that she bare a son, 

and called his name Samuel, 

saying, 

Because I have asked him 

of the Lord.

Another curious thing I discovered today:

In the movie "Arrival", little Hannah died at age 12.

With Hannah's son, Samuel, Christian Answers wrote this:

"Here his bodily wants and training were attended to by the women who served in the tabernacle, while Eli cared for his religious culture. Thus, probably, twelve years of his life passed away."

TWELVE stands for "GOVERNMENTAL PERFECTION".

Best of all?

Hannah did not forget to thank, acknowledge, and praise the LORD:

1 Samuel 2:1-9

King James Version

2 And Hannah prayed, and said, 

My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, 

mine horn is exalted in the Lord: 

my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; 

because I rejoice in thy salvation.

2 There is none holy as the Lord: 

for there is none beside thee: 

neither is there any rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; 

let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: 

for the Lord is a God of knowledge, 

and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, 

and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

5 They that were full 

have hired out themselves for bread; 

and they that were hungry ceased: 

so that the barren hath born seven; 

and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

6 The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: 

he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: 

he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, 

and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, 

to set them among princes, 

and to make them inherit the throne of glory: 

for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, 

and he hath set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, 

and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; 

for by strength shall no man prevail.

She also prophesied about JESUS:

1 Samuel 2:10

King James Version

10 The adversaries of the Lord 

shall be broken to pieces; 

out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: 

the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; 

and he shall give strength unto his king, 

and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Fulfilling her promise, she sent her son, Samuel, with her husband, Elkanah, to Eli, the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11

King James Version

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. 

And the child did minister unto the Lord 

before Eli the priest.

Samuel grew up to be a fine boy.

1 Samuel 2:26

King James Version

26 And the child Samuel grew on, 

and was in favour both with the Lord, 

and also with men.

He became a prophet for GOD.

I honestly love being born again.

I never know where SPIRIT will lead me.

But one thing I do know --

It's wonderful being a student of SPIRIT.

It's ALWAYS an ADVENTURE in LEARNING.

From this article, another was "spawned".

And maybe, that will spawn another.

That's how we got to create over 100 blogs.

One verse at a time.

One article at a time.

One discovery at a time.

Even one name at a time.

I thank GOD for His GRACE.

Related material:

GOD's WAYS

Archaeologist of the Soul

Re-educating self

Image: Free Bible Images