Language and conversation are so filled with mystery! One of my nephews used to confuse “look, see, watch.” He figured out that if he wanted to show me a rock, he could say, “look at this!” but once in awhile would blurt out “see at this!”
Or he’d want to show me that he could now ice skate without holding onto another person’s hand, and he would say, “Did you look me?” And then there was the time he wanted me to see the full moon and said, “watch at the moon!” They all “kind-of” mean the same, and are certainly related, but….they aren’t exactly the same in all instances. So yes, language is a mystery. And then there are some words, like
Behold!
that grab onto our imaginations and understandings in whole new ways. Behold, after all, is not a word we use every day. Even my nephew did not say, “Behold this rock.” Nor do any of us say, “Did you behold me?” nor even, “behold! the moon!” We do not put our hand over our mouth as we say, “shhh” and then whisper in lowered voice “behold.” Rather, this unusual word seems one with a built-in exclamation point…
Behold!
But, the truth is, there is in each of our days, a Behold! moment or time. The brilliant sunshine in nature announces to us Behold! And so too the sunset — especially here alongside lakes and woods — brings another announcing: Behold! Or seeing a family of fox, frolicking on a snow drift; or a moment of recognizing, across a room, a favorite person not seen for years; or an unexpected moment of hearing good news about a nephew not seen for years.
Behold!
Or a moment when a grandchild, child, or nephew, takes your hand to walk more safely on ice or snow, trusting that you can help keep them from harm.
Behold!
We humans with an instinct to hold quiet our emotions, our feelings, our realizations may simply whisper in our minds, ahhhhhhhhhhhh, how fine it is that THIS should come my way… but Behold!
Angels, saints, Mary mother of Jesus, Joseph who took Jesus to be his child, Our Lord Jesus who takes us to be his own says for us to hear declared:
Behold!
That may not now be within your own realm of faith. But think of that nephew, or niece, grandchild or child who takes your hand and says, “watch, see, look…” That trust is the trust we each can have in God….who watches over us, sees our needs and longings, and looks upon us with great love, declares,
“You, dearest little one,
Behold, the love of God is for you!”
Look, see, watch…that love is upon you, for you, into you.
Behold!
Your Lord Comes to You.
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month our contributor is Pastor Kris Garey, Trinity Lutheran Church, Hovland.
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