With a new year upon us it can be a a good idea to find your “word of the year.” For 2021, my word is “yet.”
I was reminded last year to focus on what we have and not on what we’ve lost. It was a hard year for so many. Today, with the sinful world continuing to exhibit it’s need for a savior we should always contemplate the incredible gift of Jesus and the salvation He has brought to us. If you will indulge me, I’d like to do a little Bible word study with you.
I began looking at the word “yet” in Scripture (used about 400 times) and found it to be apropos to our discussion. (Too bad it wouldn’t work in a book title because one would think I was writing about Bigfoot [Yeti].)
Look at the following passages for a moment (emphasis mine).
Lamentations 3:20-22 (NLT)
“I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.”
Matthew 7:24-25 (NIV)
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose,
and the winds blew and beat against that house;
yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Psalm 42:11 (KJV)
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
2 Corinthians 4:16 (NASB)
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day.”
In every sense Jesus is our “yet.” Everything before Him pales when compared to the after.
John 1: 11-12 (NIV)
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 11:25 (KJV)
“Jesus said unto her, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.'”
He is our hope.
He is our sustenance.
He is our redeemer.
He is the reason for all we do.
If all seems overwhelming…
If all seems impossible….
Remember, God is not finished….yet.
He is our “Yet.”
Soli Deo Gloria.
Yet will I praise Him. Amen
Yet he brings miracles! Amen.
Such a small word, yet so encouraging.
It’s an early morning after a long, long night, and my bleary eyes misread the title of your post, Steve. Ah, well.
Yeti is a grand old word,
my friend, and I’m not plaiyn’,
sending my mind dancing toward
something Himalayan
roaring from a deep crevasse,
snarling down the ice,
an ambush in a mountain pass
without very nice
table manners at his meal,
Yak (and Sherpas, too).
Maybe we might make a deal,
a super Vegas coup,
sign him for a cool grudge-match:
with hometown golden boy, Sasquatch.
And probably unsurprisingly, my Word or 2021 is “Dude!”
Though this world looks gray, the color we have made it, yet God’s beauty surrounds us if we look. Thank you, Steve, for the enlightenment, and thank you, God, yet. Amen
Yes, yet he is with us.
These are some of my favorite scriptures! Thanks for the reminder! Needed it today!
Looking at these verses, I see that it stands in for “even so” or “nevertheless” and that speaks so much about facing the difficult and still trusting, still hoping, still moving forward with God. It reminds me of the song “Joy Invincible” or “Hallelujah Nevertheless” by Switchfoot.
Wonderful reminders that our hope is secure. Thank you, Steve!
“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Galatians 2:20
Everything before Him pales when compared to the after- love this! Brought such a vivid and hopeful picture to my mind’s eye and to my heart! Thank you for this!
Steve, if I might be allowed a second thought (and if I’m spamming, please delete, no worries)…
After posting my somewhat flipaent note above, I had rather a spot of bother with several active tumours for a couple of hours. A kind of penance, I suppose, but it did provide the basis for the sonnet below.
“And Yet”
I know exactly what this means,
wracking pain and abject fear,
the loss of even simple dreams,
heartbreak in a single tear.
Stern resolve will not prevail,
and nor will that Old College Try;
the end of life, life doth entail
and even legends have to die.
And yet, and yet…though hope is gone
in these darkling dun-winged days,
I find my heart will still go on
to offer thanks, and sing the praise
of the Lord, my Hope and Friend,
standing by me at the end.
Andrew, I need to hug you. Put your right hand on your left shoulder, left hand on right shoulder, and squeeze. Or better yet, have your wife do it for me.
Wonderful reminder as we start this new year. Thank you.
Excellent encouragement! Thank you.
Yet is a great word to hold onto in this new year. Thank you.
I so needed to hear this today, Steve. When I woke up, I pulled the covers over my head, hesitant to face the day. I’ll get up now, encouraged. -Janice
Thank you Steve,
Your message is especially meaningful with what we are facing. Thank you for the inspiration and the need to pause and absorb its resounding assurance.
My word for the year is Trust.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding Proverbs 3:5 – Lisa
Sometimes the simplest messages are the most profound.
Thank you, Steve.
Amen Steve, thank you for reminding us of this wonderful word.
Beautiful, much-needed word of encouragement, Steve. Thank you.
Beautiful truth, and just what I needed. Thank you!
Powerful teaching, Steve! Amen!
Hello, Joseph. Are you the same Joseph Bentz who belonged to the Orange County Christian Writers group thirty some years ago? If so, I’ve always wanted to thank you for encouraging me to attend Mt. Hermon. It was my first writers conference ~ so special. I also got to meet Randy Alcorn in person, as well as many other Christian authors who I later met at ACFW conferences. Your encouragement, as well as Beverly Bush Smith’s, set me on the path to keep writing and finally publish. I have attempted several times to contact you, and I am thrilled you are a Steve Laube client. (I tried twice, but couldn’t make the cut. That’s okay because I am very happy where I am with Winged Publications.) Thank you and bless you for giving me the push I needed.
Bonnie Engstrom
This might be the single best post you’ve ever done.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2Corinthians 8:9 ESV)
One small word, yet,it makes all the difference!
Thank you for this reminder.
Wonderful thoughts. Thank you for this!
Thank you for your trust in our Lord Jesus. I’ve had the opportunity to study with a new believer and those are some of the very verses that have been a great encouragement to us. Again, thank you, for standing strong.
Grateful – that’s my word for the year and how I feel about your post.
I love this. I’ll notice “yet” throughout the Bible now like I’ve never noticed it before. I’m excited to go read something just to have it jump out.
I’m so glad that I clicked to read this post. This is a timely and beautiful word for today and a great example of using your words to build up instead of tear down. Thank you.
Wow, Steve. I love your word for the year. Yet is powerful. It’s a reminder that all is not as it appears. Yet brings to mind the foundational truths that can frame the temporal struggles we face. I needed this. Thank you.
Hi Steve,
I love this blog post. During a study last night, in Habakkuk, I shared with the group two bold statements made by Habakkuk during his difficult days.
Yet…I will wait patiently (3:16)
Yet…I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in God my Savior (3:18-19)
We serve a God who can be trusted!
Mary-Lynn
Thanks to all for your comments and thoughts. May you be blessed in your continued ministry of words.
Steve
I learn something new each time I read this blog. Thank you.
Steve, I thought our essay on ‘Yet’ was very thoughtful and well written. I hope to see more.
Your post left me in tears. I so needed this. Thank you.