Help!
Hey, everyone!
What’s up, everybody?
Hope y’all are having an awesome start to your day! But…Yikes! It’s cold as all get out! I mean, gimme a break! It’s time to set the clocks up for spring and you still gotta defrost the windshield! Wow! It’s been a winter and a half! But if it was warm all the time, it’d be kinda lame, actually!
Maybe you’re like, “I’m totally with you on that!”
Or you’re like, “I don’t see your point!…
In fact, I don’t even know what on earth you’re talking about!”
So…Lately I’ve been helping folks improve their English who didn’t grow up speaking our language…
And you know what? There are loads of expressions that we use so often that can be confusing for them! And we might not even think about it!
For example, in that first paragraph, I wrote…
“What’s up?”
One resource that helps those from other countries learn slang and colloquial English, explains that “What’s up?” means that “…you’re not literally asking what is above the person you’re speaking to. You’re inquiring about what’s happening in their life or how they’re feeling at that moment.”
“But holy cow! Who would think it means you’re talking about what’s over head??”
Well, it’s just that we’ve heard it so much…
(Remember, “Eh, what’s up, doc?”)…
that we don’t think about what it sounds like for those who’ve never heard that expression before!
(BTW, “holy cow” also needs some explaining! And so does “BTW”!)
In just those first few lines, words or expressions I used that would be confusing for someone learning English as an adult are:
“y’all”
“yikes”
“…as all get out”
“I mean, gimme a break” (there are two slang phrases in that one!)
“gotta”
“…and a half” (as in, it’s been a winter “and a half”)
“kinda”
“lame”
“actually”
“Maybe you’re like…” (As in, “maybe you’re thinking…”)
“I’m with you” (as in, “I agree with you”)
“totally” (as in, “I’m totally with you”)
“I see your point “ (not talking about something sharp)
“…what on earth…” (not referring to anything found on the surface of our planet)
I mean, I even know some people who use the word, “Awesome!” a lot!
And that might even need some explaining to an ELL (“English Language Learning” ) student!
Even tho’ “awesome” originally meant, “profoundly reverential” or “inspiring awe or even fear,” I think some just get in the habit of using it to mean “cool!”
(Which is another word that might need some explaining!)
So there’s a place in Gospel of Mark where a guy was used to using a word that isn’t found a lot in the New Testament. It’s only used eight times and he used it 25% of them! He was from a place 25 miles north of Galilee and maybe they used it more there. It was an unusual way to say “Help!”
He had a huge problem! His child had suffered a debilitating situation for years.
When he found that Jesus was there, he ran to Him and shouted, “Help!”
“Lord…if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:22)
Actually, the Greek word he used for “help”…
(which seemed to be a favorite of his)…
the word “boētheo”…
comes from two words crunched together…
the word “run” and the word “shout”!
That’s just what he did! He ran and shouted!
It kinda means “Run to my rescue!”
So, what he was really trying to say with his word, was, “Lord, if You can…rescue us!”
And Jesus answered, “What?? What’s this ‘If You can??’ All things are possible to the one who believes!” (Mark 9:23)
Jesus can do anything for those who believe!
And then our friend realized where his emergency really was!
It was in his heart!
So he used his word again!
“Lord, I do believe (some!)…Help my unbelief!”
(Mark 9:24…the same word, just two verses apart!)
In other words, “I’m shouting! Run and rescue me from the places in my heart where it’s tough for me to believe in You! From the thoughts I have that don’t believe in You so much!”
“Hurry! Help! I need you to help my family! But just as much, I need you to run and help ME!Come help ME!
Help ME to believe…in THEE!!”
When you feel like you wish you believed in Jesus more…
in a moment when you need to…
in a moment when you need Him…
in a wait that won’t abate…
Ask Him to help you believe in Him more!
You’ll find that in the asking…
because you’re running to HIM…
and asking HIM…
..;you do!
Now that IS awesome!