The word for this week is "unspeakable"! The only place it's found in the Bible is 1 Peter 1:6-8:
6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: KJV
This is the Greek word "aneklaletos". Strong's concordance says: not spoken out, i.e. unutterable. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: unable to be told out. Here are these same verses from the Amplified Bible:
6 [You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, 7 So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed. 8 Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy. AMP
That's the kind of joy that is so over overwhelming that we just can't explain it! One of the songs we've used before called "You Are More" has a line that says: "You are more than my words could ever say". That's the same idea here! "Without having seen" means that this great joy that we have when we believe comes ONLY from believing what the Word of God says about Him, as the Holy Spirit makes it real! (Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17). This same unspeakable joy can be ours concerning everything that the Word promises, as we meditate on it. In fact, we will know just WHEN the Word becomes real by the joy that comes with the understanding! My prayer for you, as you continue to study the Word of God, is that He will make the Word so very clear to you that you will be continually filled with THIS joy! What a wonderful way to live! Here is a new song from the Hillsong United album, Zion, called "Up In Arms":
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
