Happy Thesaurus Day
Helen Thorne | 18 Jan 2013
On January 18th 1779, Peter Mark Roget - compiler of Roget's thesaurus - was born. He's a minor hero of mine. I like words. I like long words. And, personally, I don't think we use the phrase "systematic floccinaucinihilipilification" anywhere near enough.
You see, languages are rich. They convey profound truths about God and his world in exciting and intriguing ways. And that's a fact the writers of the Bible knew well. And nowhere is that more true than when we look at the vast array of names that are given to the three persons of the Trinity. He's not just called "God". There are so many descriptions, each showing us a glimpse of his nature and mission.
There's Father, Son of God, Son of Man, Good Shepherd, Gate, Door, Light of the World, Suffering Servant, Lamb of God, Vine, Bread of Life, King of Kings, Paraclete, Counsellor, Lion of Judah, Rabbi, Christ, Son of David, I Am, Word, Jehovah Jireh, Christ, Saviour, Alpha and Omega, Lord of Lords ... and I haven't even scratched the surface.
So why not take a moment and pick a name for God that you don't tend to use on a daily basis. And let the words roll around in your mind. Allow the truths that they convey to sink into your heart. And praise the Lord of Hosts for who he is and what he has done.
