Supplies and Greek

rulersAre we really to have a blog about office supplies, now?

No, fortunately we are not. Instead, we are going to have a lovely way to start the week.

It’s Monday and, instead of reading my To Do List, I started the morning reading this–a great reminder from Eugene Peterson: that God is the one who supplies us with what we need. Which is a lovely way to start your week in itself. Far better than starting with a To Do List.

But the important word, the one that leaped right off the page and struck me was the word “supplies.” And being the Greek Scholar that I am (NOT) and knowing, of course, the root word as I did (NOT)… yes OK but I was reading someone who did. (Eugene Peterson in Traveling Light.) And I have to say–it’s fabulous:

The Greek word for “supplies” is “epicoregeo” and that word has at it’s root “dance” (choros). The noun is joined to the verb “lead” (Hegeomai) and it becomes “lead a dance.” The word is further intensified by the addition of “epi” which basically super charges it.

So when we are told God supplies us with what we need–“supplies” is a lame word that doesn’t get close to what being said. What it really means is: he’s leading us in a wonderful dance. The one who supplies us with life, breath, everything–is so overflowing with blessing and joy and gaiety, and saving us from ourselves, that we are set free. And at the root of it all is a dance.

What a wonderful way to start the week. What if it’s not all up to us? What if it doesn’t all depend on us? And what we think and what we know and what we can do? What if something–someone–else is at work alongside us, leading us–and what if it’s not about a list but a dance? (Which in turn got me thinking about writing and where stories come from and inspiration… but that’s for the next blog.)

SLJ.

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