This two letter word that has
more meanings than most two letter words is the word ‘UP’. It can be an adverb,
a preposition, an adjective, a noun or a verb. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides
many meanings and uses for the word ‘UP’.
I began thinking about the
use of the word ‘UP’ in our churches, which includes the Bible, our liturgy our
music and the coming and going about our churches. I have taken some of the
uses posted by Sepia, as well as the dictionary itself, and created a shotgun
list of the uses of ‘UP’ in our churches.
We look ‘UP’ to Heaven in
prayer when seeking the Lord and when we realize we’re living in sin, we hopefully
wake ‘UP’. At a Church meeting, many topics come ‘UP’. Some of the attendees
speak ‘UP’. Our church officers come ‘UP’
for election every so often. The church secretary writes ‘UP’ the minutes of
our meetings.
We have committees in
church to call ‘UP’ members about coming events or needs in the church. We sometimes
brighten ‘UP’ a church room or area. We polish ‘UP’ certain silver and brass
items we use in our church. At church dinners we warm ‘UP’ the leftovers and
clean ‘UP’ the kitchen. We lock ‘UP’ the church after our Sunday Services. We
fix ‘UP’ old church appliances and other damaged items in need of repair.
We sing Stand ‘UP’, Stand
‘UP’ for Jesus many times during the year. We read and sing John 6:40, “For
this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes
in him should have eternal life, and ‘I will raise him ‘UP’ on the last day.’”
Unfortunately, even in
churches, some people stir ‘UP’ trouble. We line ‘UP’ for tickets to a church
fund raising event. We work ‘UP’ an appetite for church dinners. We sometimes
think ‘UP’ excuses not to go to church or to a church function. We typically
get dressed ‘UP’ for Church Services. The Church Kitchen drain sometimes needs
to be opened ‘UP’ because it is stopped ‘UP’.
We open ‘UP’ the church in the morning but we close it ‘UP’ at night. Church
members volunteer for jobs and ministry in church if they’re ‘UP’ to it. We
sometimes read ‘UP’ to 7 devotions a week as we seek to nourish our spirit in
the Lord. We try not to give ‘UP’ in seeking the Lord in our lives, so we don’t
wind ‘Up’ in trouble.
We need to allow God to
take ‘UP’ some of our time. Letters from St. Paul take ‘UP’ many pages in the
New Testament. We strive to build ‘UP’ our strength in the Lord, never giving
‘UP’ our hope. We do, however, give ‘UP’ things during Lent.
All Sundays are not sunny.
Some cloud ‘UP’, but later clear ‘UP’. We try to get ‘UP’ and go to church no
matter what the weather is. The church garden soaks ‘UP’ the rain, but soon
dries ‘UP’.
In Ephesians 4:29 we hear,”
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building ‘UP’,
as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.” In
Isaiah 40:9 we hear, “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee ‘UP’ into
the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift ‘UP’ thy voice
with strength; lift it ‘UP’, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah,
Behold your God!”
