The Biggest Littlest Word

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(picture of magmatic rock olivine, magnified 5x from Scientific American)

Sometimes, an obscure or common thing (like a rock) is a surprisingly beautiful thing, once you stop to really look at it. (See the picture above.)

Sometimes, a little thing is the biggest thing.

Do you know what my favorite word in the Bible is?

It is one of the littlest words, the word but.

Found around 4,000 time in the Scriptures, it is a power-packed little big word. Consider just a sampling...

The grass withers, and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord remains forever. ~ from I Peter 1:24-25

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ~ I Peter 2:9

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. ~ II Peter 3:9

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ~ I John 2:1

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

~ from I John 4:18

The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. ~ I John 2:17

But He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ~ from Hebrews 12:10

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. ~ Hebrews 4:15

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ I Thessalonians 5:9

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 3:12-14

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. ~ from Ephesians 2:3-5

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. ~ Galatians 2:20

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

~ II Corinthians 4:16

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. ~ II Corinthians 2:14

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

~ II Corinthians 3:5

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves. ~ II Corinthians 4:7

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain. ~ I Corinthians 15:10

One little conjunction with a very big function. Praise God for little things.

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