But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, except that in one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me. Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the Gospel of God’s grace. (Acts 20: 22-24)
Easter Day #45: Verve!
VERVE is the verb that turns faith into action... Except it is a noun! Here’s the definition from dictionary.com:
verve [vurv] noun: enthusiasm or vigor, as in literary or artistic work; spirit: Her latest novel lacks verve. Vivaciousness; liveliness; animation: I like a teacher with plenty of verve. Archaic: Talent.
May I make the case that a noun can sometimes be a verb? If VERVE is vigor, spirit, vivaciousness, liveliness, and even talent, and someone uses these words to describe YOU, then VERVE is an adjective, right? So, if YOU act with vigor, spirit, vivaciousness, liveliness, and even talent, then your action becomes “verb-like”, hence you act with vigor, spirit, vivaciousness, liveliness, and even talent. Granted, I don’t know what I am talking about, and English teachers, and proper students everywhere are cringing right about now, but I think I am on to something here!
Sure, I can’t “write” VERVE as a verb (i.e. My faith VERVES for God.), but I can see that it is the VERVE that makes the faith grow into measurable progress and action. Without VERVE, the Apostle Paul gives up, and the early Church collapses! Without VERVE, Mother Theresa of Calcutta, doesn’t even enter the religious life, and millions die on the streets alone with no dignity and no knowledge of God’s love for them! Without VERVE, your faith is nothing but an opinion on what makes you feel good about yourself and the things you like to think about!
My “dumb” thought today is based in the truth of what a “verb” is supposed to be; an action word! And no matter what form of speech it is, VERVE is something that needs to be a part of all of our actions in this life. We need more vigor, spirit, vivaciousness, liveliness, and talents! We need the Holy Spirit to send us the strength to see our commitments through to the bitter end! Just like the Apostle Paul, we too need courage to finish the course and the ministry that we have received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the Gospel of God’s grace.
So I’ll say it again: VERVE is the verb that turns faith into action. May our faith VERVE with God’s many blessings and His Holy Spirit!
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