Wednesday, March 4, 2015
I bet you’ve heard this phrase often: “This too shall pass.” You may have heard it in a movie, on TV, or in church. I even heard a standup comedian use it recently. Do you, like many others, wonder where it actually is in the Bible? The truth is, it is not a biblical verse. I remember the first time I saw the movie “The Ten Commandments” and hearing Rameses say “So let it ne written. So let it be done.” Since it was released many years before I committed my life to Christ, I assumed that line was a bible verse. After my conversion, I remember looking for it and finally after employing the use of a Bible Concordance, I found out it was not in the Bible.
There are many other phrases people think are biblical and some who quote them feel a little smug thinking they’ve impressed their listeners with their ‘knowledge” of the scriptures. Here are a few favorites: “money is the root of all evil” , “cleanliness is next to godliness” , “the Lord works in mysterious ways” , and “God helps those who help themselves.” Keep in mind that while many of these phrases may compare slightly, even favorably, with some biblical truths, in themselves they are not in the Bible. Also, keep these phrases in mind because sooner or later someone you know will use it in their conversation thinking that they just used a bible verse.
The best way to be able to differentiate between the fake and the genuine is to know the genuine well. In his instructions to Timothy, Paul wrote: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15) It will be no different for us; we can also become wise if we continue reading and studying the Bible. As far as today’s title phrase is concerned, it came to my mind a few days ago because I am really looking forward for this cold weather to end. Although it is not altogether biblical, I am encouraged nonetheless that “this too shall pass.”
Memory verse for the week: “So then, neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” (1 Cor. 3:7 KJV)
